Latest news with #InaHagniningtyasKrisnamurthi
Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Delhi is a true picture of unity in diversity… a melting pot'
In the last three-and-a-half years she has spent in Delhi, the city has become like a second home for Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to India. Not just food, she loves the diversity of the city, but also its food. In her career spanning nearly two decades, she has held various diplomatic positions and has held various other government posts. She is an MA in International Studies from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. She speaks to The Indian Express as part of a series of interviews with Ambassadors about Delhi — a city she admires. Excerpts: One place in the city that you like visiting often. Delhi for me is like a second home. It's not easy for me to pinpoint one, but I often visit Nehru Park or Lodhi Garden… very friendly and green. What has stood out in Delhi during your stay? In Indonesia, we have this principle of 'Bhinekka Tunggal Ika', which loosely translates in English to 'unity in diversity'. I think Delhi is truly a picture of unity in diversity. When I arrived here in 2022, there were 152 diplomatic missions. Now, the number has gone up to 180. The city is a melting pot of diplomats, especially from many faraway countries. I was posted in New York before…there are 193 missions there. Secondly, when you talk about food, you can find cuisines from all Indian states. Unfortunately, Odisha Bhawan is now undergoing a renovation, but that is one of the places that I frequent because I love Odisha's food. It almost has a Southeast Asian flavour. Thirdly, even as Delhi is not my favourite Indian city, it has a character unlike many others. The past and the future come together. It's so colouful. You can say that you can understand Delhi, but you cannot, because every corner of the city brings out a different side. My favourite place is Chandigarh, and another city for me that I fell in love with right away is Visakhapatnam. Memories or encounters in the city that you'll never forget? One was the G20 Summit. The lockdown during the G20 Summit for three days…it was all so beautiful, my God! It was very romantic. I cannot explain in words. Second, when Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto came here as the Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade this year. In October, when the decision came to invite my president, I was doubtful that we could do it. India made it happen because you're so unbelievably good at extending your friendship. Favourite food in the city? The South Indian food in Malcha Marg, and I also love fried fish. And also, Dhaba in Claridges, because I love the butter chicken, and also the garlic naan. But the dal, I think, Bukhara is the best…by far. The dal is unbelievable. I just buy the dal and eat it with naan or roti. That's it. I can eat that forever. If you have to introduce Delhi back home, what will you tell them? First, unity in diversity. Second, the warmth of the people. Third, even Delhiites can't fully know the city… because if you go to Old Delhi, every nook and corner is different…Every time I go there, I go okay, how come this is here? I did not see it before.
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Indonesian envoy warns of global 'tsunami of issues', calls for revival of Bandung spirit
New Delhi, Indonesian envoy Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi on Thursday warned of a "tsunami of issues" engulfing the world, urging Global South countries to adapt and collaborate to navigate an increasingly-unstable geopolitical landscape. She also hailed India's pivotal role in shaping post-colonial solidarity and called for a revival of the shared vision that united Asian and African countries against imperialism. Citing India's "unwavering support" during Indonesia's struggle for independence and its leadership in organising the 1947 Asian Relations Conference, Krisnamurthi urged developing countries to once again come together in the face of growing global disorder. "India stood by us when our sovereignty was under threat this solidarity must be remembered and renewed," she said. Krisnamurthi was speaking at an event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the historic Bandung Conference. Held in April 1955 in Indonesia's Bandung, the conference was a landmark gathering of 29 Asian and African countries many newly-independent that came together to promote economic and cultural cooperation and oppose colonialism and neocolonialism in all forms. Krisnamurthi also spoke of the vision of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, quoting his Bandung speech: "Asia and Africa can prosper only when they are united, and that even the safety of the world at large cannot be safeguarded without a United Asia." She described the current global landscape as a "tsunami of issues", pointing to weakened alliances, cyber warfare and a flood of disinformation that erodes trust in institutions. Krisnamurthi warned that responses like nationalism and protectionism, rather than resolving uncertainty, "often deepen it", exacerbating economic divides and sparking new conflicts. She underscored the significance of the revival of the Bandung spirit, emphasising mutual respect and cooperation among Global South countries to navigate this "era of disorder". Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran echoed the call for solidarity, highlighting the 1955 conference as a powerful rejection of western dominance. He recalled Jawaharlal Nehru's 1947 Asian Relations Conference, which laid the groundwork for Bandung by asserting the autonomy of post-colonial nations. Saran emphasised that India's pursuit of strategic autonomy, rooted in Nehru's non-aligned foreign policy, remains a guiding principle despite a changed world. He said the impulse behind India's non-aligned foreign policy, which was the pursuit of strategic autonomy, has not changed. The symposium addressed four key themes social development, peace and security, climate change and the global political economy.
