Ahead of India’s Republic Day celebrations, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in New Delhi. The President who is staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel In New Delhi was welcomed warmly. President Prabowo Subianto will continue to stay at the property during his four-day visit. Apart from tri-coloured flower arrangements at the entrance, meticulously crafted rangoli and a live sitar performance, the hotel also prepared rose and masala-flavoured chocolates to welcome the President.
The typically Indian flavours in the chocolate are a great way to showcase desi flavours to the President. Indonesian cuisine has a lot in common with India. The flavours are vibrant and the cuisine has a rich heritage. It is known for its unique combination of sweet, spicy, tangy, and savoury tastes and offers a culinary experience that resonates with Indian palates. Both cuisines share a love for bold spices, rice-based dishes, and a variety of sambals or chutneys, making Indonesian food both exotic and familiar to Indian diners which is why it is steadily gaining popularity in India.
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This is President Prabowo’s first trip to India as head of state, and he is the fourth Indonesian leader to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. The other Indonesian Presidents who have been part of Indian Republic Day celebrations include President Sukarno who was the chief guest at the first Republic Day in 1950, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2011, and Joko Widodo in 2018.
The President will meet PM Narendra Modi before the celebrations to discuss and review several bilateral issues including food security, energy security, health security, defence, and security cooperation. The two leaders earlier met in November last year, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
This year's visit is also special because a 352-member contingent from Indonesia’s armed forces will be part of the Republic Day parade. This is the first time an Indonesian contingent is participating in a national day parade abroad.