Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to make an official visit to Indonesia, playfully adding that Putin shouldn’t limit his travels to India alone.
Prabowo praised the strong relationship between their countries and said Putin would be welcome to visit Indonesia whenever it suited him, possibly in 2026 or 2027.
“We would be very happy to receive you in our country. Because, India should not be the only country where you travel,” Subianto said while Putin chuckled at the remark.
Putin’s high-profile visit to India
The Indonesia President’s light-hearted comments comes after Putin’s visit to India, where he held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the trip, he highlighted the strong friendship between India and Russia, which was especially significant amid the steep 50% tariffs that US President Donald Trump has placed on India for its purchase of Russian oil.
Prime Minister Modi had broken protocol and received Putin at Palam airport with a full ceremonial welcome and a red-carpet reception. Their talks covered defense ties, energy cooperation, growing trade, and current global tensions. Many observers viewed the visit as a clear reminder of the long-standing partnership between India and Russia at a time when international alliances are shifting.
In his meeting with Modi, Putin said Russia was prepared to keep sending fuel to India without interruption despite US pressure. At the same time, Russia is working to expand its wheat sales to Asian markets, moving beyond its usual customers in the Middle East as it faces US competition.
Prabowo has continued Indonesia’s non-aligned approach to foreign policy, saying he aims to maintain friendly relations with all countries, including Russia and the United States. Russia has praised Indonesia’s even-handed stance on the war, according to Reuters.
PM Modi on India-Russia partnership
Modi, in his comments, called Putin “my friend” and described the India-Russia partnership as a “guiding star,” saying it is grounded in “mutual respect and deep trust” and has “stood the test of time.” This trip marked Putin’s tenth visit to India since he first came to power 25 years ago, as well as the twentieth time he and Modi have met since Modi became prime minister in 2014.