Indonesia's President Subianto concludes successful state visit to India

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's recent visit to India has been hailed as a resounding success, further strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, who had the honour of seeing off the President, expressed his gratitude for the fruitful and successful visit

Margherita shared on X, "Had the honour of seeing off H E Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia after a fruitful and successful visit to India. This visit has further deepened the bonds of friendship between our two great nations."

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto concluded a landmark state visit to India, further strengthening the historical and strategic ties between the two nations.

During his visit, President Subianto emphasised the deep cultural and historical connections between India and Indonesia, drawing attention to the significant influence of ancient Indian civilisation on Indonesian culture, language, and even genetics.

Speaking at a banquet hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu, Subianto shared a personal anecdote about his recent genetic sequencing test, which revealed traces of Indian DNA.

He humorously remarked, "Everybody knows when I hear Indian music, I start dancing." Subianto also expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, praising his commitment to uplifting the marginalised and eradicating poverty.

"His commitment to alleviating poverty, helping the marginalised, and helping the weakest part of your society, is an inspiration for us," Subianto said.

In a heartfelt message, the Indonesian President expressed his pride in visiting India and conveyed his wishes for the prosperity, peace, and greatness of its people.

"I would like to see Indonesia and India continuing to be close partners and friends," he added, highlighting the shared aspirations of both nations to enhance their longstanding partnership.

The state visit, which took place from January 23 to 26, saw President Subianto attending India's 76th Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest, at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.

Subianto was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including several Ministers, senior officials, and a business team, reflecting the importance of the visit for bilateral cooperation.

The visit also witnessed the signing and renewal of five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across diverse fields such as health, traditional medicine, and maritime security.

Key agreements included an MoU on health cooperation between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and its Indonesian counterpart, as well as the renewal of a maritime safety and security cooperation agreement between the Indian Coast Guard and Indonesia's BAKAMLA.

Additionally, an MoU was signed on traditional medicine quality assurance between India's Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homeopathy under the Ministry of AYUSH and Indonesia's Food and Drug Authority.