Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Noor Khan Airbase in Islamabad on 8 December for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening ties between Pakistan and Indonesia. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received the visiting president alongside federal cabinet members and senior officials.
On arrival, President Prabowo Subianto exchanged warm handshakes with the president and prime minister. Children in traditional dress presented flowers and held the national flags of both countries, while a 21-gun salute was fired in honour of the visiting head of state. Officials described the reception as cordial, with pleasant exchanges between the leaders.
The visit follows an invitation from Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and marks President Prabowo Subianto’s first trip to Pakistan. The last Indonesian presidential visit to Pakistan was in 2018 by President Joko Widodo. This year’s visit carries added significance as both countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
During his stay, President Prabowo Subianto will hold delegation-level talks with the prime minister and meet President Asif Ali Zardari. Discussions are expected to cover trade and investment, defence cooperation, health, information technology, climate change, education and cultural exchanges, with a view to deepening regional and global partnership.
Officials said the two-day state visit offers an important opportunity to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and further consolidate the long-standing and friendly relations between Pakistan and Indonesia. The meetings are intended to produce concrete steps to broaden collaboration across multiple sectors.
