Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Indonesian government and President Prabowo Subianto after being conferred the country’s highest honour, the ‘Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia’, calling it a tribute to “historic and deeply-rooted ties” between the two nations.
Describing the award as a tribute to the longstanding friendship between India and Indonesia, he said the honour belonged to the people of India and reflected the deep affection and goodwill of the Indonesian people.
“I accept the Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia with great humility. This honour belongs to the people of India. It reflects the warmth and affection of the people of Indonesia. It is also a tribute to the historic and deeply-rooted ties between India and Indonesia. I sincerely thank President Prabowo, the Government of Indonesia and the people of Indonesia for this special honour,” PM Modi posted on X.
Earlier in the day, President Subianto announced conferring the country’s highest honour, the ‘Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia’, upon Prime Minister Modi.
The ‘Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia’, instituted in 1959, is the highest civilian and military medal of honour conferred by the Southeast Asian nation, recognising extraordinary service.
This marked another addition to the growing list of highest honours for PM Modi bestowed on him globally.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with Indonesian President Subianto in Jakarta, with discussions centred on a wide range of sectors, including defence, security and maritime cooperation.
Following the meeting, PM Modi took to X and posted, “Held productive discussions with President Prabowo Subianto at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta. Over the past few years, India-Indonesia relations have acquired new momentum and greater depth. Today’s talks covered various subjects such as trade, human development, agriculture, food security and healthcare. As major maritime nations of the Indo-Pacific, defence, security and maritime cooperation also featured in our talks.”
“Looking at the future, we agreed that our nations must work closely in areas such as space, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure and other emerging technologies,” he added.
(IANS)
