Is Pakistan the rationale why India has not but confirmed Indonesia president as Republic Day chief visitor?

Historically, India has hooked up a variety of diplomatic significance to its alternative of the chief visitor invited for the Republic Day. Diplomatic channels start the work months upfront and title or names are finalised a minimum of weeks forward of the occasion marking India’s declaration as a democratic republic — introduced adoption of the Structure of the nation publish Independence.

This yr’s chief visitor for the Republic Day occasion is but not formally confirmed. The chatter in information media means that Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto is the federal government’s alternative for India’s Republic Day 2025. Nonetheless, there may be additionally confusion across the purported delay in official affirmation by the federal government. Republic Day is barely two weeks away.

So, why India is delaying formal announcement of R-Day chief visitor’s title

Stories counsel that the Indonesian president has tagged a Pakistan journey to India’s Republic Day go to. This potential plan of Prabowo has reportedly made New Delhi to dissuade Prabowo to skip Pakistan from the present itinerary. India has lengthy pushed for de-hyphenating Pakistan from its bilateral ties with different international locations.

In the meantime, Pakistan prepares to welcome Prabowo on India’s Republic Day

Pakistan has reportedly already began its preparation to host Prabowo. As per a report in Pakistan-based Enterprise Recorder newspaper, the Indonesian president is more likely to start his three-day official go to to Pakistan from January 26 itself.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrange a committee, headed by his authorities’s planning and improvement minister Ahsan Iqbal, to finalise all proposals and actions forward of the Indonesian chief’s go to to the nation.

Change in optics

India extends invitations for Republic Day to solely these international locations with which it has robust diplomatic relations. The optics of Prabowo of mixing his India’s journey with Pakistan is one thing that the Indian authorities is reportedly attempting to keep away from.

Ties between India and Pakistan, the 2 neighbouring nations, have deteriorated lately over Islamabad’s help to cross-border terrorism. The 2 international locations had been engaged in an aerial dogfight in 2019 following India’s air strikes on terror coaching centre in Pakistan’s Balakot following a terrorist assault focusing on Indian safety forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

India raises subject with Indonesia

In line with a report by The Occasions of India, New Delhi has raised the problem diplomatically with Jakarta, hoping to dissuade Prabowo from straight travelling to Islamabad after India’s Republic Day celebrations.

The Indian authorities views Prabowo taking a direct flight to Pakistan after the Republic Day parade as dangerous optics for its principled stand of not partaking with a rustic that makes use of terrorism as a software of international coverage.

One other report by Deccan Herald, quoting a supply in New Delhi, stated the officers of India and Indonesia had been in dialogue concerning the itinerary of the Indonesian president.

The final time an Indonesian president visited India for Republic Day celebrations was in 2018 when then-President Joko Widodo was a chief visitor. Apparently, Widodo additionally flew on to Islamabad from New Delhi, however on that event, he was amongst 10 Southeast Asian leaders invited as joint chief company for Republic Day. India has prolonged a joint invitation to all Asean heads of state to commemorate 25 years of engagement with the bloc.

Previous data

In 2010, former president of United States Barack Obama had dropped his plan to have a stopover in Islamabad, whereas visiting New Delhi after being knowledgeable concerning the sensitivities of India.

In February 2019, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman de-hyphenated his Islamabad go to with a quick tour to Dubai.

With inputs from companies.