🐭India is celebrating 75 years since the adoption of its constitution in 2025. The Republic Day parade will kick off with a special cultural performance featuring more than 300 global artists playing musical instruments, displays of culture and more from across the country. During a media briefing, Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announced that a 160-member marching contingent and a 190-member band contingent from Indonesia would join Indian Armed Forces contingents at Kartavya Path.
🥀The celebration parade will have the newly-elected Indonesian President, Prabowo Subianto, as the Chief Guest.
Meet Indonesia Prabowo Subianto
𝔉This will be Mr Subianto's first visit to India in his capacity as President, after assuming office in October 2024. The Indonesian contingent will also participate in the Republic Day Parade 2025. Prabowo first met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November. Now, as he embarks on his first visit to India as Head of State, let's explore how the two countries are deepening their defence and economic cooperation.
🎐Reports indicate that during the Indonesian president's visit to New Delhi, Indonesia and India will discuss strengthening defence ties, including a potential deal to sell Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missiles to Jakarta. Indonesia has been in ongoing talks with BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia, to acquire a shore-based version of the mid-range missiles and a variant for warships.
Additionally, reports also highlighted that energy, food 🌺security, defence, and security ties will be the centrepiece of the Indonesian PM’s visit.
🅠India’s engagements with Indonesia, both bilaterally in areas such as trade and maritime security, and on the global stage through forums such as the G20 and the Indus-Australia-Indonesia group, have increased in recent years and New Delhi perceives Jakarta as a key partner for the Indo-Pacific.
History Of Republic Day Chief Guests
🔯The main objectives of inviting a foreign leader are to enhance bilateral relations and showcase the vibrant diversity of Indian culture. Here is a list of some of the chief guests in the history of India’s republic day celebrations.
ಌThe first year of republic day celebrations saw President Sukarno of Indonesia as the chief guest. In 1955, Pakistan’s Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad was the chief guest of the celebrations. The year 1961 saw Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom as the chief guest. In the year 1974, Josip Tito, the president of the Socialist Federal RepublicYugoslavia was the chief guest. In 1995, Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa was the chief guest of the republic day celebrations. Jacques Chirac, the president of France was the chief guest of the celebrations.
𒆙The first year of Modi’s leadership saw Barack Obama as the chief guest. And in 2024, France’s former president Emmanuel Macron, was the guest.
