President Lula Welcomes President Prabowo to BRICS Summit with Warm Embrace

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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil warmly welcomed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the BRICS 2025 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, marking Indonesia’s official debut as a full member of the bloc.

The encounter took place during a plenary session held at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, where the two leaders greeted each other with a heartfelt embrace and exchanged warm gestures, underscoring the growing bond between their countries.

President Prabowo arrived at the venue at 10:52 a.m. local time, greeted with a red carpet and honor guard—formalities reserved for heads of state participating in the BRICS Summit, which now includes Indonesia alongside founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, as well as new partners such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Wearing a black suit and traditional Indonesian peci hat, Prabowo was received like an old friend by President Lula. The Brazilian leader immediately embraced Prabowo, who had first offered a respectful greeting with hands clasped in front of his chest. The two exchanged smiles and held a brief conversation before posing together for photos against the BRICS Summit backdrop.

President Lula continued to express his appreciation with friendly gestures during the photo session, including a reassuring pat on Prabowo’s hand—signaling not just bilateral goodwill, but Indonesia’s broader acceptance into the global South’s most prominent economic forum.

The last known meeting between the two leaders took place in November 2024 at the G20 Summit, also hosted by Brazil. This latest reunion comes at a pivotal moment as Indonesia seeks a greater voice in shaping a more equitable global economic architecture.

Joining President Prabowo in Brazil were several senior officials from the Red and White Cabinet, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono, Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Their presence further emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to taking on a more strategic role in international economic diplomacy under BRICS—a forum increasingly seen as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions.