TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indian Embassy in Jakarta will celebrate the 75th year of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and India this year. The year-long celebration will be kick-started with an "Odissi" traditional dance performance at the Indian Cultural Center Jawaharlal Nehru in Jakarta on January 26-27, 2024.

In addition to Jakarta, the dance will be performed in Bali, Surabaya, Purwakarta, and Batam. The Odissi dance will be performed by Gunjan Dance Academy from India.

India and Indonesia have deep historical and cultural relations. Merchants from Gujarat have long formed relations with places such as Aceh and Surabaya. India's cultural elements are present in various Sanskrit words in the Indonesian language. Epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata hold a special grip on the hearts of many Indonesians.

The diplomatic relations between both countries, however, began in 1949. A year later, Indonesia's first president Soekarno was the first guest to be invited to the India's Republic Day celebration in 1950. India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru attended the 1955's Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung.

In 2018, Indonesia and India advanced their relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Indonesia. PM Modi also attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit back in September 2023 in Jakarta. India has declared its commitment to the unity and centrality of ASEAN. India and Indonesia's trade value also reached US$40 billion.

Indonesia has been home to many Indian diaspora and communities for years, bridging the friendship between both countries. The Indian Embassy in Jakarta said that it is happy to be involved in maintaining the cultural exchange between India and Indonesia.

SUCI SEKARWATI

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