Indians living in Indonesia joyfully celebrated the 71st Indian Republic Day from Friday to Sunday with a painting exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi, a grand reception at the Westin Hotel in South Jakarta and a flag-hoisting ceremony at the Indian Embassy.

The celebrations emphasized the theme of shared connection between India and Indonesia, looking to the past to energize current potential partnerships.

Both countries are not only maritime neighbors but also strategic partners.

Mouth-watering Indian cuisine, classical dances, patriotic songs and Bollywood performances enlivened the celebrations.

Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil was the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day reception held at the Westin on Friday

In his opening remarks, Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Pradeep Kumar Rawat said that both Indonesia and India had many similarities in so many aspects.

“Both countries are Asia’s biggest democracies with pluralistic societies. We have excellent relations with Indonesia,” Rawat said.

The trade between the two countries has been growing by leaps and bounds. Bilateral trade last year reached more than US$21 billion and both countries have set a target of achieving $50 billion trade by 2025. Given the combined gross domestic product (GDP) of both countries, which is currently at $4 trillion, this trade target can be achieved.

“Given our combined GDP, it will not be that difficult to achieve the $50 billion trade target,” Rawat said.

He pointed out that India and Indonesia had similar healthcare insurance schemes. While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted Skill India, on the enhancement of the skills of human resources, Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is also focusing on human resources development in his second term of his presidency.

The reception was attended by Indonesian friends of India representing artists, intellectuals, businesspeople, journalists, writers and academics. Among them were emerging actor Muhammad Khan, who won a Piala Citra trophy for his lead role in Garin Nugroho’s 2019 film Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (Memories of My Body), pianist and composer Ananda Sukarlan, choreographer Chendra Panatan, writer Ayu Utami and fashion designer Poppy Dharsono, among others.

Khan, a fan of Bollywood’s top actor Shah Rukh Khan, mesmerized the audience with his Bollywood dancing and singing skills.

Another main attraction of the reception was a special painting exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of India’s great leader Mahatma Gandhi. Prominent Indonesian painters from the Jakarta Arts Institute displayed their paintings on Gandhi and his famous teachings.

India became a republic on Jan. 26, 1950, when it adopted a new constitution. The chief guest of India’s first Republic Day celebration was Indonesia’s first president Sukarno in 1950.

This year, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest for India’s 71st Republic Day.

Every year, Indians, both in India and abroad, celebrate Republic Day on Jan. 26 with joy and pride.

Hundreds of Indians living in Indonesia thronged to the Indian Embassy in Jakarta on Sunday to celebrate Republic Day.

Ambassador Rawat hoisted the flag and read out Indian President Ram Nath Kovind’s Republic Day speech.

Students from Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School, Rama Global School and DPS Indonesia sang patriotic songs. Three dancers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre performed beautiful classic dances.

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