'Indonesia was India's first Republic Day guest': PM Modi welcomes President Prabowo Subianto

NEW DELHI: India and Indonesia on Saturday held discussions to strengthen their bilateral ties, signing several agreements at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The meeting, held ahead of Republic Day, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. PM Modi mentioned the special bond between the two countries, remembering that Indonesia was India’s first Republic Day chief guest.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed President Subianto, specifying the historic bond shared two countries. "Indonesia was the chief guest country on India's first Republic Day, and as we celebrate 75 years of the Republic, it is a matter of great pride to have Indonesia part of this occasion again," PM said.

During the discussions, both leaders focused on enhancing collaboration in critical areas. PM Modi pointed out that their 2018 agreement to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership had paved the way for closer ties. "Today, we had comprehensive discussions on mutual cooperation. To increase defence sector collaboration, we have agreed to work together in defence manufacturing and supply. We also emphasized cooperation in maritime security, cyber security, counter-terrorism, and de-radicalisation," Prime Minister Modi added.
A key highlight was the signing of an agreement on maritime safety and security. The deal aims to boost collaboration in crime prevention, search and rescue operations, and capacity building.
PM also announced plans to strengthen cooperation in emerging sectors such as Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Digital Public Infrastructure.
On the economic front, PM Modi highlighted the rapid growth of bilateral trade, which exceeded $30 billion last year. President Subianto expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and stressed the importance of cutting bureaucracy and overregulation to facilitate greater economic cooperation. "We had very intensive and frank discussions. I have directed my team to accelerate and prioritise the bilateral interests of Indonesia and India," Subianto said.
"The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia is on land donated by the Indian government before we were recognised by many other countries in the world. We feel very honoured that I will be the chief guest tomorrow at the Republic Day parade. We would like to thank India for supporting our prominent membership in Brics," Indonesian President added.

Cultural cooperation also featured prominently in the talks. PM Modi announced India's support for the conservation of Indonesia's Prambanan Hindu temple, after its earlier contribution to the preservation of the Borobudur Buddhist temple.
He also added that 2025 would be celebrated as the India-Asean 'Year of Tourism' to promote cultural exchange and tourism between the two countries.