J

span class="caption">JP/Veeramallah Anjaiah

India and Indonesia have more than 2,000 years of civilizational links. These two maritime neighbors are Asia’s largest democracies and are home to the world’s biggest Muslim populations. There are numerous similarities in culture, language, religions, cuisine, clothes and traditions.

Outgoing Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Nengcha Lhouvum has cleverly compiled these similarities into a photography book called Kesamaan India-Indonesia Still In Step, which was launched at a colorful reception on Wednesday in Jakarta.

The spectacular photos in the book depict the history of relations between the two countries since their time of struggle for independence to modern times. The book portrays the similarities between India and Indonesia.

“India and Indonesia are conjoined by their names, their history, the shared ocean, religions, epics, language and culture. Diversity, pluralism, syncretism and tolerance form the bedrock of the two nations,” Ambassador Nengcha said in a foreword to the book.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s director general for Asia-Pacific and African affairs, Desra Percaya, Indonesia’s new ambassador-designate to India Arto Suryodiputro, the Foreign Ministry’s director for South and Central Asian affairs, Ferdy Nico Yohannes Piay, Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Nguyen Xuan Thuy, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia Dharsana Mahendra Perera and many public figures from India and Indonesia attended the launch.

The book was sponsored by M/S Allanasons Pvt. Ltd and PT Megasari Makmur (Godrej Indonesia).