Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto wintesses the 76th Republic Day Parade, at Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Sunday, January 26, 2025
| Photo Credit: ANI

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday (January 25, 2025), at a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in his honour, spoke about the historical and cultural ties between India and Indonesia, and emphasised the influence of ancient Indian civilization on Indonesian culture, language, and genetics.

President Subianto highlights Indian influence on Indonesian language and genetics sequencing test.

He added, “A few weeks ago I had my genetic sequencing test and my DNA test and they told me that I have Indian DNA. Everybody knows when I hear Indian music, I start dancing.”

President Subianto also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and commitment towards alleviating poverty and helping the marginalised while affirming that he himself learnt a lot from him in the few days.

The Indonesian President said he is proud to be in India and further wished “prosperity, peace, and greatness” for the people of India in the coming years.

Mr. Subianto said, “I am very proud to be here (in India)…I am not a professional politician, I am not a good diplomat, I say what is in my heart. I came here for a few days but learned a lot from Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and commitments… His commitment to alleviating poverty, helping the marginalized, and helping the weakest part of your society, is an inspiration for us.”

“I would like to wish the people of India prosperity, peace, and greatness in the coming years. I would like to see Indonesia and India continuing to be close partners and friends,” he added.

Notably, at the invitation of PM Modi, President Subianto paid a State Visit to India from January 23-26. He also attended the celebrations of the 76th Republic Day of India as the Chief Guest. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation including several Ministers as well as Senior Officials of the Indonesian government and a business delegation.

The visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Delhi witnessed the signing and renewal of five Memorandums of Understanding on wide-ranging fields, including health, traditional medicine and maritime security.

MoU on Health Cooperation was signed between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Health, Indonesia.

The MoU on Maritime Safety and Security Cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and BAKAMLA, Indonesia was renewed.

Another MoU was signed in the field of Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance between the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, which comes under the Ministry of AYUSH and the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority.

The IAF choppers were flying in a ‘dhwaj formation’.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of the 76th Republic Day.

In a post on X, he prayed that this occasion would strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution.

“Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution and working towards a stronger and prosperous India,” said the PM.

Happy Republic Day.

Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu will lead the Nation in celebrating the 76th Republic Day from Kartavya Path in the national capital.

With a special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution and Jan Bhagidari, the celebrations this year will be a unique blend of India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development and military prowess, according to a government press release.

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto will be the Chief Guest.

Around 10,000 special guests have been invited to witness the parade, in line with the government’s objective to increase ‘Jan Bhagidari’ in events of national importance. These guests from different walks of life are the architects of ‘Swarnim Bharat’. They include the best performers in various fields and those who have made the best use of the schemes of the government.

The parade, ‘The Republic Day Parade’ will start at 10.30 a.m. and run for a duration of approx. 90 minutes. The ceremony will commence with the visit of PM Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

The arrival of the President of India and her Indonesian counterpart will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, the seniormost Regiment of the Indian Army. The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which made a comeback in 2024 after a gap of 40 years.

As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system. The parade will be heralded by 300 cultural artists playing ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ with musical instruments from different parts of the country. This indigenous mix of instruments would resonate with the melody, beat and hopes of a billion Indians’ hearts. The ensemble of instruments includes Shehnai, Sundari, Nadaswaram, Been, Mashak Been, Ransingha – Rajasthan, Flute, Karadi Majalu, Mohuri, Sankha, Tutari, Dhol, Gong, Nishan, Chang, Tasha, Sambal, Chenda, Idakka, Lezim, Thavil, Gudum Baza, Talam and Monbah.

Showering of flower petals will be carried out by Mi-17 1V helicopters from 129 Helicopter Unit in the Dhwaj Formation.

Trooping the National Flag, this formation of helicopters will be led by Group Captain Alok Ahlawat. The parade will then begin with the President taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command.

The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (Retd) & Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (Retd), and Ashok Chakra winner Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice but, other than, in the face of the enemy.

A march past by the Marching Contingent of Indonesian National Armed Forces and Military Band of Indonesia’s Military Academy will also be a highlight of the celebrations. The marching contingent will consist of 152 members, with 190 members in the military band.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The national capital is on high alert with over 70 companies of paramilitary forces and more than 70,000 police personnel are deployed across the city. A six-layered security protocol involving 15,000 security personnel will be deployed in New Delhi district alone.

“Installation of more than 2,500 CCTV cameras equipped with data-based facial recognition and video analytics. Anti-drone systems covering a four kilometres radius to detect and deactivate aerial threats. Snipers on rooftops and sealing of over 200 buildings along the parade route, with residential windows facing the route also secured,” a police officer said.

Commandoes, quick reaction teams, PCR vans, anti-sabotage checks and SWAT teams are deployed at strategic locations along Kartavya Path and all around the city, he said.

Flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms such as paragliders, paramotors, hang gliders, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), microlight aircraft, remotely-piloted aircraft, hot-air balloons, small size-powered aircraft, quadcopters or parajumping from aircraft are prohibited over Delhi till February 1.