PM Modi Praises Biju Patnaik for Historic Indonesia Rescue Mission

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

PM Modi praised Biju Patnaik’s role in rescuing Indonesian leaders during the 1947 independence struggle.
The mission helped India rally international support for Indonesia against Dutch colonial rule.
Modi said the historic operation strengthened the long-standing partnership between India and Indonesia.

Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invoked the legacy of Biju Patnaik while addressing the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta, recalling the former Odisha Chief Minister’s daring mission to rescue Indonesian leaders during their fight for independence. The PM Modi praises Biju Patnaik remarks highlighted the historic role India played in supporting Indonesia’s freedom movement and reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the two nations.

Modi said India and Indonesia achieved independence within a short span of each other and shared a common commitment to sovereignty and self-determination. He noted that Biju Patnaik’s courageous actions helped bring the two countries closer during a critical period in their history.

PM Modi Praises Biju Patnaik for 1947 Rescue Mission

During his address, the Prime Minister recalled that Biju Patnaik, an accomplished pilot, safely flew Indonesian Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Vice President Mohammad Hatta out of Dutch-controlled territory.

According to Modi, the operation strengthened diplomatic ties between India and Indonesia and demonstrated India’s firm support for Indonesia’s independence movement at the United Nations.

The mission was carried out at the request of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who sought to help Indonesian leaders reach safety and mobilise international opinion against attempts to restore Dutch colonial rule.

Historic Flight Strengthened India Indonesia Friendship

The rescue operation took place in 1947, when Dutch forces had imposed a blockade and placed key Indonesian leaders under house arrest following military action aimed at regaining colonial control after the Second World War.

Despite warnings that his aircraft could be shot down, Biju Patnaik flew a Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft into Indonesian airspace with his co-pilot and wife, Gyanwati Patnaik. The mission succeeded in bringing Sjahrir and Hatta safely out of the country through Singapore before they arrived in New Delhi on 24 July 1947.

The operation helped draw global attention to Indonesia’s independence movement and reinforced India’s position as one of the earliest international supporters of the newly emerging nation.

Maritime Partnership Remains Central to Bilateral Ties

Highlighting the broader relationship between the two countries, Prime Minister Modi said the sea has historically connected India and Indonesia rather than divided them.

He noted that maritime links have shaped centuries of cultural and economic exchange and continue to play an important role in the future of bilateral cooperation. By recalling Biju Patnaik’s contribution, Modi underscored the shared history that continues to influence diplomatic relations between India and Indonesia today.

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