BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invoked Odisha’s enduring historical and cultural links with Indonesia and paid tribute to former chief minister Biju Patnaik for his role in Indonesia’s freedom movement.
The prime minister also recalled Odisha’s centuries-old maritime heritage during his address to a joint session of the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta. Describing the India-Indonesia relationship as one forged through history, culture and shared values, he said that India had stood firmly behind Indonesia’s fight for sovereignty after the second World War.
“Both our nations gained independence around the same time: Indonesia in 1945 and India in 1947. When it came to sovereignty as independent nations, India became a strong voice in support of Indonesia’s independence movement at the United Nations,” Modi said.
He recalled Biju Patnaik’s rescue mission that has become a defining chapter in the bilateral relationship. “The role played by Biju Patnaik during that period, the way he safely brought the then prime minister Sutan Sjahrir and vice-president Mohammad Hatta to India, brought the two nations closer,” he said.
Biju Patnaik, an accomplished pilot, had undertaken the high-risk mission in 1947 at the request of the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, after Dutch colonial forces launched a military offensive in Indonesia.
Flying a Dakota transport aircraft through the Dutch blockade, he evacuated Sjahrir and Hatta via Singapore, enabling them to continue their diplomatic efforts for international recognition of Indonesia’s independence. In recognition of his extraordinary contribution, Indonesia later conferred honorary citizenship on Patnaik, a rare distinction for a foreign national.
The prime minister also underscored Odisha’s historic maritime links with Indonesia, citing the famous Balijatra festival as a living symbol of the centuries-old relationship between ancient Kalinga and the Indonesian archipelago.
“India and Indonesia share more than just the sea; we share a common history as well. We are connected through Wayang, dance and music, magnificent monuments like Borobudur and Prambanan, Indonesia’s national symbol Garuda, and through the festive spirit of Balijatra,” Modi said.
