TRANSCRIPT
A grand procession, a military band and a colossal cavalry adding to Jakarta's trademark traffic congestion as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is welcomed to Indonesia by dozens of soldiers on horseback, around 3,000 schoolchildren waving flags, and a military ceremony.
The visit has been a tradition of elected Australian leaders - for more than two decades:
"It's wonderful that this is the first of my bilateral visits following our election victory."
Mr Albanese’s Labor Party secured a second term in a landslide win, defeating opposition leader Peter Dutton, who had proposed breaking tradition by visiting Washington first to pursue a better tariff deal with Donald Trump.
President Prabowo Subianto told Mr Albanese the two countries were destined to be close:
"The fact that we are neighbours has never been decided by us, it has been decided by the universe. We are destined to be neighbours."
Neighbours - who indulge in late night conversations.
After Anthony Albanese's Wednesday arrival President Subianto dropped in to the Prime Minister's hotel suite.
"And we had a really good chat about elections, about the state of the world, and it was very... it was a great honour. "
The chat kept coming, today's opening one on one - running overtime by more than an hour.
Mr Albanese urged President Prabowo to forge closer defence ties with Australia, after an agreement was struck last year covering maritime security, counter-terrorism and disaster response.
But afternoon discussions on regional security were overshadowed by a reported Russian ploy to base military aircraft within Indonesia's borders, which was rejected by the Prabowo administration - who have also fostered a friendly relationship with Moscow.
Albanese: "Indonesia's answer is no it was very clear."
Journalist: "But was the question asked?"
Albanese: "They've made it very clear, not for me to comment on what occurs between countries that are not Australia."
Australia wants to increase economic ties with Southeast Asia, as it seeks to diversify export markets to reduce reliance on China, and in response to trade uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
"Security is built on the sovereignty of every nation and for the rules that govern all nations, and all of us that have benefited from this framework share a responsibility to maintain it and strengthen it."
While Australia and Indonesia signed defence agreements in the past, Mr Albanese says it was only a starting point for the relationship.
Signed on the sidelines by Foreign Minister Penny Wong was a strategic plan of action to deepen economic engagement and drive closer ties through sport, and conflict prevention.
The prime minister has spent the day talking up Indonesia’s economic and strategic importance to Australia, and doing his best to avoid controversial issues.
Elected last year, President Prabowo has faced rolling protests over his austerity drive, while rights groups claim his reforms undermine democratic institutions.
In terms of the economy, Indonesia's middle class shrank in the last year.
So does the Prime Minister have any concerns, both economically and politically, that Indonesia may not be tracking in the right direction?
"I think President Prabowo was elected overwhelmingly in what was really an important democratic process here in Indonesia, and that should be respected. "
Mr Albanese's next stop will be Rome, for the new Pope's Inauguration Mass, where he will invite Pope Leo to Australia for the 54th International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.
His final stop before returning home will be Singapore on Tuesday [[May 20]] to meet with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
