The Indian Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest at the 76th Republic Day on January 26. This will be Prabowo’s first visit to India as the president.
As a comprehensive strategic partner, Indonesia is an important pillar in India’s Act East Policy and its vision of the Indo-Pacific, the MEA said.
“At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto will pay a state visit to India during January 25-26,” the MEA said, “President Prabowo will also be the Chief Guest for India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations,” it said in a statement.
“India and Indonesia share warm and friendly ties spanning over millenia,” it said.
Although Prabowo was India’s choice for chief guest for this year’s celebration, some media reports suggested that the government in New Delhi took time to confirm the news as the Indonesian president tagged a Pakistan trip to India’s Republic Day visit.
India extends invites for Republic Day to only those countries with which it has strong diplomatic relations. The optics of Prabowo of combining his India’s trip with Pakistan is something that the Indian government is reportedly trying to avoid.
The MEA said the forthcoming visit of the Indonesian President will provide an opportunity for the leadership of the two countries to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral ties as well as to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic Day celebrations.
Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the Republic Day chief guest while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi graced the occasion in 2023.
With inputs from agencies
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India finally confirms Indonesia’s Prabowo as Republic Day chief guest
