The United States congratulated Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on his swearing-in ceremony, stating that his election reflects the shared values of democracy and the rule of law that unite both countries. US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in an official statement, expressed anticipation for building a strong foundation with President Subianto.
“We look forward to building on this strong foundation with President Subianto, his government, civil society, and the Indonesian people as we celebrate 75 years of partnership between our two nations this year,” Blinken said.
“Our mutual commitment to human rights, diversity, and prosperity is crucial to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region and world. We look forward to deepening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and to furthering the opportunities it has created for our peoples,” he added.
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Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s former defense minister, took the oath as the eighth President of Indonesia on Sunday. Alongside him, Gibran Rakabuming, the son of former President Joko Widodo, was also sworn in as Vice President.
Prabowo, 73, and Gibran, 37, took their oaths of office around 10:30 a.m. local time during an inauguration held at the Nusantara Building in the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. Dignitaries from 33 countries, including India, attended the swearing-in ceremony, according to Antara news agency.
India was represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. This year is significant as both countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and mark a decade of India’s ‘Act East’ policy, of which Indonesia is a key pillar. The External Affairs Ministry stated that Margherita’s participation in the inauguration ceremony reaffirms India’s commitment to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Indonesia.
Prabowo won the presidential elections with a margin of 59 percent of the votes in the polls held on February 14 earlier this year.
