Why has India not confirmed Indonesia’s president as Republic Day chief guest and what is the link with Pakistan

The last time an Indonesian president attended India’s Republic Day celebrations was in 2018, when then-President Joko Widodo was the chief guest.

Jan 11, 2025 - 13:30

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Why has India not confirmed Indonesia’s president as Republic Day chief guest and what is the link with Pakistan

India has historically placed necessary diplomatic significance on deciding on the executive customer for its Republic Day celebrations. Preparations for the invitation project open months upfront, with the final resolution typically being made weeks earlier than the tournament that commemorates India’s adoption of its Structure and declaration as a democratic republic.

For Republic Day 2025, the official confirmation of the executive customer is unruffled pending. Media experiences indicate that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is the governments most unusual need. Then any other time, there appears to be some confusion referring to the prolong in the official announcement, as Republic Day is shining two weeks away.

Reports also indicate that President Prabowo’s potential consult with to India may perchance coincide with a outing to Pakistan, a local that has led New Delhi to motivate him to recede Pakistan out of his itinerary. India has consistently advocated for conserving apart its kinfolk with Pakistan from its dealings with a great deal of countries.

Pakistan to welcome Prabowo on India’s Republic Day

Pakistan is reportedly making preparations to host Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. In accordance with a document in the Pakistan-based Industry Recorder newspaper, the Indonesian president is expected to open his three-day official consult with to Pakistan on January 26.

To make certain that the consult with runs smoothly, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee led by Planning and Trend Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The committee is tasked with finalizing all proposals and actions connected to the Indonesian president’s consult with to the nation.

India invitations international locations with solid diplomatic kinfolk

India typically invitations handiest those international locations with which it shares solid diplomatic kinfolk for its Republic Day celebrations. The Indian govt is reportedly attempting to e-book clear of the optics of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto combining his consult with to India with a outing to Pakistan.

Kinfolk between India and Pakistan fetch vastly deteriorated in most unusual years, basically due to Islamabad’s alleged reinforce for imperfect-border terrorism. The 2 countries got here discontinuance to militia difference in 2019 after India conducted airstrikes on a terrorist coaching facility in Pakistan’s Balakot, in retaliation for a terrorist attack on Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2010, used U.S. President Barack Obama canceled his opinion to invent a stopover in Islamabad while visiting New Delhi, after being briefed on India’s sensitivities referring to the matter.

Similarly, in February 2019, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chose to de-hyphenate his consult with to Islamabad by making a handy e-book a rough close in Dubai as an alternative.

India raises venture with Indonesia

In accordance with The Instances of India, New Delhi has raised concerns diplomatically with Jakarta, attempting to discourage Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto from traveling straight to Islamabad after attending India’s Republic Day celebrations.

The Indian govt perceives Prabowo’s advise flight to Pakistan following the Republic Day parade as a negative image, undermining its stance of now not appealing with a nation that uses terrorism as a international protection utility.

A document by Deccan Herald, citing a source in New Delhi, mentioned ongoing discussions between Indian and Indonesian officers referring to Prabowo’s itinerary.

The final time an Indonesian president attended India’s Republic Day celebrations became as soon as in 2018, when then-President Joko Widodo became as soon as the executive customer. Curiously, Widodo flew straight to Islamabad from New Delhi, but on that occasion, he became as soon as one amongst ten Southeast Asian leaders invited as joint chief guests, as a part of a occasion marking 25 years of engagement with the ASEAN bloc.