NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday put the spotlight on the number eight during his address to the Indian diaspora in Jakarta, using a series of numerical references to underline his friendship with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the close ties between the two countries.Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, “Friends, India celebrated its Republic Day with great enthusiasm on January 26 last year. Twenty-six… 2 plus 6 equals 8, and my friend the President’s birthday is on the 17th, 1 plus 7 also equals 8. President Prabowo attended the Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest. During that visit, we had detailed discussions on many issues. But one particular remark from that visit remains special to me. Mr President, you had then said, and you repeated it again today, that you have India’s DNA. That one statement won the hearts of millions of Indians, and even today, it received the loudest applause. It truly touched the hearts of the people of India.” The reference drew attention because the number eight carries special significance in Indonesia. Influenced by Chinese cultural traditions and Feng Shui, the number is widely regarded as a symbol of prosperity, success and good fortune. In Mandarin, the pronunciation of the number eight, “ba”, closely resembles the word “fa”, which means wealth or prosperity, making it one of the most auspicious numbers in many Asian societies.President Prabowo Subianto was born on October 17, 1951. PM Modi’s reference to his birth date, where 1 plus 7 equals 8, followed another numerical connection to India’s Republic Day on January 26, where the digits two and six also add up to eight.The symbolism extended beyond birthdays. Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day on August 17 every year, commemorating its declaration of independence in 1945. Once again, the date 17 reduces to eight, reinforcing the cultural importance of the number.PM Modi’s speech blended symbolism with references to the growing India-Indonesia partnership. Calling Prabowo “a true friend of India”, he thanked the Indonesian people for their warm welcome and highlighted the deep civilisational ties between the two countries.The Prime Minister also used a Bollywood reference to connect with the audience, saying, “I noticed that the Bollywood song ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ is very popular here. Today, I told President Prabowo that when India and Indonesia move forward together, it goes far beyond just ‘kuch kuch’; it leads to ‘bahut kuch’…”During the event, PM Modi described India-Indonesia relations as “civilisational”, said India’s economy is playing a major role in driving global growth, and stressed that both countries share the common goal of development.His visit to Indonesia saw the two nations sign 20 agreements across defence, maritime security, education, digital technology and critical minerals. PM Modi also addressed the Indonesian Parliament, received Indonesia’s highest civilian honour, the Bintang Adipurna, and announced that India would help conserve the 1,000-year-old Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands as a symbol of the two countries’ shared cultural heritage. Go to Source
