Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to visit India for four days starting Thursday. During his visit, President Prabowo will hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the Republic Day Parade as the Chief Guest.
The visit aims to review bilateral ties and address regional and global issues of mutual interest. Sources indicate that multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed, covering areas such as food security, energy security, and healthcare. Discussions may also include Indonesia’s need for medical professionals and potential collaborations in digital mapping for agriculture and renewable energy.
Further topics of discussion are expected to focus on enhancing cultural exchanges, including collaborative efforts in movie productions, educational initiatives, student exchanges, and research partnerships. There will also be talks on improving trade and flight connectivity, particularly the Delhi-Jakarta route, and fostering people-to-people connections.
This marks President Prabowo’s first visit to India as Head of State. The Republic Day celebrations will feature a 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia, the first such participation by an Indonesian contingent in a national day parade abroad.
On Friday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will meet President Prabowo. The ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat and talks with Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House.
India and Indonesia maintain close maritime ties with cultural and trade linkages spanning centuries. The annual Bali Yatra festival commemorates the historic voyages of Indian seafarers to Bali. Indonesia is among India’s key trading partners in the ASEAN region, with bilateral trade reaching USD 29.40 billion in 2023-24. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to USD 1.56 billion, covering sectors such as infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking, and consumer goods.
The two nations share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the same visit, a shared vision of India-Indonesia maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was adopted.
Defence cooperation between the two countries includes the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018. While Indonesia is exploring ways to strengthen its defence systems and seeking technology transfer, sources have indicated that a defence deal is unlikely to be concluded during this visit.
Indonesia has expressed appreciation for India’s support towards its BRICS membership and is interested in learning from India’s experiences in various sectors. President Prabowo and Prime Minister Modi met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024.
President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian leader to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations. The visit underscores the longstanding partnership between the two nations and their commitment to strengthening ties across various domains.
