Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived here on Thursday night on his first visit to India as the head of state.
Subianto is in the country as the chief guest for the 76th Republic Day celebrations.
The president was greeted 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,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on ‘X’.
A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by MoS @PmargheritaBJP at the airport.
President @prabowo will be the Chief Guest for 🇮🇳's 76th Republic Day celebrations.
This visit will… pic.twitter.com/OEeXLOengC
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 23, 2025
“This visit will further strengthen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he said.
During the four-day visit, Subianto is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for discussions on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. Sources indicate that key areas such as food and energy security, healthcare, and renewable energy will feature prominently in their talks.
Potential agreements on cultural exchanges, digital mapping for agriculture, and enhancing flight connectivity, including a Delhi-Jakarta route, are also on the agenda.
He will be the fourth Indonesian president to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest at India’s first Republic Day celebrations in 1950.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Indonesia in 2018 during which the India-Indonesia ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted.
On November 19 last year, Prime Minister Modi met President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia.
Indonesia is one of India’s largest trading partners in the Asean region, with bilateral trade reaching USD 29.40 billion in 2023.
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The Southeast Asian nation is also an important pillar in India’s Act East Policy. It is one of India’s largest trading partners in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.
Indian investments in Indonesia span sectors like infrastructure, textiles, automotive, and banking, totalling USD 1.56 billion.
