Prabowo reaffirms Indonesia-India ties at Indian Community Reception

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto underscored the close friendship between Indonesia and India during the Indian Community Reception at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC) on Tuesday (July 7).

He expressed his gratitude at meeting directly with the Indian community in Indonesia and recalled the honor of being the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations in 2025.

"I am very honored because India's first Republic Day celebration was in 1950, and the chief guest at that time was Indonesia's first President, President Soekarno," Prabowo said.

In his remarks, the president also conveyed his personal admiration for PM Modi.

"Once again, I do not interfere in India's domestic politics, but I am an admirer of Shri Narendra Modi," he continued.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome given by President Prabowo Subianto and all the Indonesian people.

PM Modi called President Prabowo a true friend of India and expressed his awe at the honor he has received since arriving in Indonesia.

"This is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. I witnessed the love Indonesians have for India. The enthusiasm of the Indonesian people, the smiles of the schoolchildren at the palace, the enthusiasm of Indonesian youth, it's all extraordinary. I can't put it into words; it's truly extraordinary," he conveyed.

The prime minister also expressed his admiration for the enthusiasm of the Indonesian people, which he said reflects genuine friendship, including the popularity of Indian songs.

He sees these shared cultural ties as a strong foundation for strengthening relations between the two countries in the future.

"Today I told President Prabowo that if India and Indonesia walk together, many things will happen if we always stay together," he said.

The Indian Community Reception marked the closing of PM Modi's state visit to Jakarta. He is scheduled to visit Yogyakarta on Wednesday to visit the Prambanan Temple Complex.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Azis Kurmala

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