The tradition of inviting leaders of other countries as “guests” for India’s Republic Day Parade began with the invitation of President Sukarno from Indonesia. Sukarno, a prominent figure of the Indonesian struggle for independence, shared similar ideals and anti-colonial sentiments with Nehru. Both nations, India and Indonesia, were on friendly terms. The Dutch leaving Indonesia, merely a month before the occasion, was the icing on the cake.
During the Indonesian independence struggle, Nehru asked the British, who were helping the Dutch, to remove their troops in Indonesia. In 1947, he held the Asian Relations Conference, whose primary goal was the discussion of the Indonesian conflict. Sukarno was grateful for Nehru’s help, and this formed a strong bond between the leaders of the two countries. Given the bonhomie between the two leaders, inviting Sukarno as the first guest of Independent India‘s Republic Day Parade was inevitable.
Republic Day Parade guests have always aligned with the views of the Prime Minister of India. Even if there is controversy surrounding the guest, it didn’t affect the invitation. President Sukarno, for example, had endorsed polygamy by marrying multiple times. This did not sit well with the Indonesians. There were also rumours that he held orgies. Sukarno’s lavish lifestyle had even affected the economy.
But all these controversies surfaced after Sukarno attended the Republic Day Parade. On the Indian front, there was the problem of the Navy not attending the parade. This was because no one listened to the complaints of the Navy officer-in-charge; the Navy did not like being behind the Army.
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