Prabowo Arrives in India As Indonesia to Attend BRICS Summit As Full Member

RRI.CO.ID, New Delhi – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Air Force Station Palam in New Delhi, India, at 10 p.m. local time on Friday, September 11, 2026. As quoted from the country's Presidential Secretariat, Prabowo’s visit to New Delhi is to attend the 18th BRICS Summit on Saturday and Sunday, September 12-13, 2026.

At the airport, India’s Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi Yudho Sasongko, and several other officials welcomed President Prabowo. At the foot of the aircraft stairs, President Prabowo also received a ceremonial welcome, including a guard of honor as well as Indian cultural performances and traditional dances.

President Prabowo’s participation in the 18th BRICS Summit as a full member is part of Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen its active role in multilateral cooperation. The participation also reflects Indonesia’s commitment to promoting a more balanced and inclusive global economic order that provides greater space for developing countries.

At the 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by India, leaders of member countries will discuss a number of strategic agendas related to strengthening cooperation among developing countries. The secretariat said it is also expected to promote concrete steps to enhance collaboration in food, energy, development financing, and trade.

Upon arriving at the hotel where he was staying, President Prabowo was welcomed by government officials, staff members of the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi, as well as dozens of Indonesian students and diaspora pursuing their studies in India. Two children from the Indonesian diaspora, dressed in traditional attire from different regions of Indonesia, stepped forward to present him with bouquets.

"I hope that in the future, Indonesia can also build strong relations with the countries here. So, it is not merely about dialogue, but also about implementations that can further strengthen Indonesia’s position in the future," Hilyatu Zahra, a doctoral student in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, said.

"Since bilateral relations between Indonesia and India are currently very good, I would like to ask President Prabowo to strengthen those ties further," Jeremia Himawan, a Political Science student at Delhi University, said.

Earlier, Prabowo and a limited delegation departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta at 5 p.m. local time on Friday. On his flight to New Delhi, he was accompanied by some ministers such as Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani, and Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto.

Indonesia officially joined BRICS on January 6, 2025, during the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil. Its membership was part of a wave of BRICS expansion that began in 2024, when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates officially joined the bloc.