• Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to grace the upcoming Republic Day celebration in New Delhi as the chief guest.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with Subianto during his visit.

• Every year, India invites world leaders to attend the Republic Day celebration.  

Chief guests in previous years:

• Leaders of friendly nations have graced the Republic Day celebrations since 1950, when the then Indonesian President Sukarno was invited as the chief guest.

• In 1952, 1953 and 1966, the Republic Day celebrations were held without a foreign leader as chief guest.

• Former US President Barack Obama (2015), Russian President Vladimir Putin (2007), former French Presidents Nicholas Sarkozy (2008) and Francois Hollande (2016) have also been chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations in the past.

• In 2018, the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leadership comprising 10 heads of State was present at the Republic Day parade.

• In 2020, the then Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest.

• There was no Republic Day Chief guest in 2021 and 2022 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi graced the occasion in 2023.

• In 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest.

• The heads of state and government who have attended the Republic Day celebrations include Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammed Khatami and Jacques Chirac.  

• Other world leaders who have attended the celebration include Nepal's King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, who came here in 1999, Iran's then President Mohammed Khatami in 2003, then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2011, and President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1991.

India-Indonesia relations

• India and Indonesia have maintained a long history of interaction in the domains of culture, language, art, and architecture for several centuries.

• Close historical, cultural and commercial ties between the two countries which dates back to more than 2,000 years is reflected across the length and breadth of Indonesia. The great Majapahit Dynasty and before that the Sriwijaya kingdom had deep cultural, religious and economic linkages with India. 

• The struggle against colonial powers, democratic traditions, pluralist culture, and progressive leadership are some of the common strands connecting India and Indonesia. 

• President Sukarno of Indonesia was the Guest of Honour during the first Republic Day of India in 1950. 

• Since the adoption of India’s ‘Look East Policy’ in 1991, and its upgradation to ‘Act East’ in 2014, there has been a rapid development of bilateral relations in political, security, defence, commercial and cultural fields.

• Both countries have recently witnessed intensive engagement in the political, strategic, defence, security, and economic spheres. There have been a number of meetings at the ministerial level, especially those concerned with foreign affairs, security, defense and trade.

• Both sides achieved a wide ranging convergence of strategic thinking and have finalised a plan of action to implement the same. 

• India and Indonesia elevated the bilateral ties to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in 2018.

• Both sides have also signed on the Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which highlights the importance of the region for both countries and immense potential for creating synergies between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and President Joko Widodo’s ‘Global Maritime Fulcrum Policy’.

• Both India and Indonesia have a shared vision for building a peaceful regional order and cooperate on a number of important security issues, including anti-terrorism and maritime security.

• There are regular Parliamentary exchanges between two countries.

• Indonesia has emerged as India’s largest trade partner in the ASEAN region. The total bilateral trade during the financial year 2022-23 was $38.85 billion with $10.02 billion worth export and $28.82 billion worth imports.

• India is the second largest buyer of coal and crude palm oil from Indonesia and imports minerals, rubber, pulp and paper and hydrocarbons reserves. India exports refined petroleum products, commercial vehicles, telecommunication equipment, agriculture commodities, bovine meat, steel products and plastics to Indonesia.

• There is a considerable potential for expanding trade in the areas of automotive components, automobiles, engineering products, IT, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and healthcare sectors. Infrastructure development and energy security are key areas for cooperation for emerging economies like India and Indonesia.

• India and Indonesia have been carrying out Coordinated Patrols (IND-INDO CORPAT) along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002, with an aim of keeping the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities. CORPATs help build understanding and interoperability between navies, and facilitate institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.

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