Megawati and Indian Ambassador Discuss Indonesia-India Relations Since Sukarno Era

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s fifth President and PDI-P Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri received Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Sandeep Chakravorty at her residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday. During the meeting, Megawati and the Indian ambassador discussed the close ties between the two nations dating back to the era of Indonesia’s first President Sukarno and India’s independence movement leader, who later became the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The warm and nostalgic meeting focused extensively on the relationship between Indonesia’s first President Sukarno and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Megawati also mentioned her closeness with Bijayananda ‘Biju’ Patnaik, a prominent independence figure and legendary Indian pilot. Megawati began by recounting her interactions with PM Nehru, explaining that she attended the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from 1-6 September 1961. As part of the Indonesian delegation, despite being only 14, Megawati sat and interacted directly with NAM founding figures, including Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Megawati showed a photo of PM Nehru chatting with President Sukarno at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on 8 June 1950. She then displayed two old photos from her participation in the NAM summit and meeting with PM Nehru. ‘I was wearing a kebaya,’ Megawati said with a smile while showing the photo from Belgrade. In response, the Indian ambassador, who has served in Indonesia for over three years, said he met Megawati in North Korea in 2011 and again at the G20 Summit gala dinner in Bali in 2022. ‘I also saw photos of Megawati and Soekarno displayed at the Nehru Museum in New Delhi,’ he added. Megawati explained that the Indian ambassador’s residence was chosen by President Sukarno, and noted India was among the first countries to recognise Indonesia’s independence. As Sukarno had selected a strategic location for the Indian embassy, Nehru arranged for Indonesia’s embassy in New Delhi to be near his residence. ‘The positive relations between the two nations have been maintained and built by our founding fathers, President Sukarno and PM Nehru,’ the Indian ambassador said. In the context of the strong bilateral ties, Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty invited Megawati to visit India again. During the meeting, Megawati was accompanied by PDI-P Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto, DPP Chair Ahmad Basarah, Deddy Yevri Hanteru Sitorus, and Foreign Relations Director Hanjaya Setiawan. Hasto added that they also discussed geopolitics and enhancing the quality of democracy. ‘Strategic matters regarding geopolitics and improving democracy and bilateral relations were also discussed,’ Hasto said. Before leaving, the Indian ambassador presented a Taj Mahal miniature, one of India’s icons. Megawati reciprocated with a Phinisi ship model and endek woven shirt.