President Prabowo Subianto arrived in the capital on Thursday night for his first state visit to India. The visit is centred around attending the 76th Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest. President Subianto was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.
"A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India," tweeted External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
"This visit will further strengthen India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he added.
During his stay, both sides are expected to finalise several agreements to enhance collaboration across various sectors. This marks a significant step in India-Indonesia relations, which have witnessed an upswing in recent years.
President Subianto will be the fourth Indonesian leader to grace India’s Republic Day celebrations, following the historic visit of Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, who was the chief guest at India’s inaugural Republic Day in 1950.
In a first, a 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will participate in the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path, symbolising the deepening ties between the two nations.
India and Indonesia, close maritime neighbours, share a rich history of cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennium. In 2018, the bilateral relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Indonesia.
That year also saw the adoption of the Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Most recently, Prime Minister Modi and President Subianto held discussions on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2023. Trade relations remain robust, with bilateral trade in 2023 amounting to USD 29.40 billion.
Indian investments in Indonesia, totalling USD 1.56 billion, span sectors such as infrastructure, power, textiles, automotive, and banking.
Defence and security ties have grown steadily since the signing of a defence cooperation agreement in 2018. The Southeast Asian nation is also an integral part of India’s Act East Policy and ranks as one of its largest trading partners within ASEAN.
Indonesia is home to approximately 150,000 persons of Indian origin, whose ancestors migrated there during the 19th and 20th centuries. Additionally, around 14,000 Indian nationals, including professionals and entrepreneurs, currently reside in the country.
The Republic Day celebrations on 26 January are expected to further cement the longstanding ties between India and Indonesia.
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