Indonesian President Subianto witnesses India's grand Republic-Day parade

Published on Jan 26, 2025

By PTI

In this screenshot taken from @narendramodi via Youtube Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives chief guest President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto for the 76th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path, in New Delhi, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (@narendramodi via PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto watched India's 76th Republic-Day celebrations at the majestic Kartavya Path on Sunday, joining a select group of global leaders to have graced the nation's biggest ceremonial event in the last seven decades.
Subianto's presence at the grand parade came 75 years after Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, attended India's first Republic-Day celebrations in 1950 as the chief guest.

As the chief guest at the ceremony, Subianto witnessed a grand military parade and cultural performances along with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, members of the Union Cabinet and a host of other dignitaries at Kartavya Path, the centrepiece boulevard of the national capital.
Subianto, a former defence minister, is the fourth Indonesian president to attend India's Republic-Day celebrations.
The Indonesian president, accompanied by a high-powered delegation of six cabinet ministers, senior officials and a very large business contingent, arrived in India on Thursday night on a four-day state visit.
A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia also participated in the Republic-Day parade.
This was the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent participated in a national-day parade abroad.
Subianto himself had taken great interest in the rehearsals of the Indonesian military contingent in Jakarta before it left for India, it is learnt.
Subianto held wide-ranging talks with Modi on Saturday, with a focus on expanding the overall defence cooperation between the two countries.
At the parade, India displayed its military might that included elite marching contingents, missiles and indigenous weapon systems.
Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic-Day celebrations.
Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the Republic-Day chief guest, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi graced the occasion in 2023.
There was no Republic-Day chief guest in 2021 and 2022 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, then Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest at the Republic-Day celebrations.
In 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chief guest at the Republic-Day parade, while in 2018, the leaders of all 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries attended the celebrations.
In 2017, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the chief guest at the celebrations, while then French President Francois Hollande graced the occasion in 2016.
Then US President Barack Obama watched the parade as the chief guest in 2015.
In 2014, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the chief guest at the celebrations, while Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck attended the parade in 2013.
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.
The then British Prime Minister Major attended the celebrations in 1993, Mandela participated as then South African President in 1995, while South Korean President Lee Myung Bak witnessed the parade in 2010.
In 2008, Sarkozy participated in the celebrations as the French president, while another French president, Chirac, graced the occasion in 1998.
Other world leaders who have attended the celebrations include Nepal's King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev in 1999, Iran's then President Khatami in 2003, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2011 and President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1991.
Around 10,000 special guests attend Republic Day parade
Village sarpanches, disaster relief workers, ASHA workers and Paralympic athletes were among around 10,000 special guests who attended the Republic Day parade here at Kartavya Path on Sunday.
The invitation was sent to the special guests from diverse fields in line with the government's objective to increase 'Jan Bhagidari' in events of national importance. These included people who made the best use of government schemes.
Sarpanches whose villages achieved targets in selected government initiatives were invited. A national-level competition was announced by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances among panchayats.
Sarpanches, under whom targets in at least six flagship schemes were achieved, were selected as special guests. Over 500 of them from top-performing villages were among the special guests.
Around 300 disaster relief workers, 300 guests from vibrant villages, 400 water warriors, 200 representatives from Primary Agriculture Credit (PAC) Societies, 400 from 'Pani Samitis', 400 community resource persons like Krishi Sakhis, Udhyog Sakhis and 200 Self-Help Group members, were among those invited to witness the parade.
Around 200 trainees of Directorate General of Training (DGT) who got training under National Skill Development Corporation, 400 awardees of PM YASASVI scheme, 200 forest and wildlife conservation volunteers/workers, 200 handloom artisans, 200 handicraft artisans, 500 special achievers and tribal beneficiaries of various schemes, 500 ASHA workers, 400 anganwadi workers, 200 Paralympic contingent and winners of international sports events and 400 participants of Mann Ki Baat were also present at special guests.
Other special guests included around 100 patent holders and 100 start-ups, besides 300 road construction workers and beneficiaries of government schemes.
Farmers and families who use renewable energy under PM Surya Ghar scheme and PM KUSUM were also been invited for the first time.
In addition to attending the Republic Day celebrations, the special guests also visited the National War Memorial, PM Sangrahalay and other prominent places in Delhi.

Republic Day Prabowo Subianto Droupadi Murmu Narendra Modi

TUESDAY, JULY 08, 2025

Nagaland Districts

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Indonesian President Subianto witnesses India's grand Republic-Day parade