Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik for his role in Indonesia's independence movement, saying his actions helped strengthen ties between India and Indonesia. Addressing the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta, the Prime Minister recalled India's support for Indonesia's sovereignty at the United Nations after both nations gained independence in the 1940s.Highlighting Patnaik's contribution, PM Modi said the former leader safely brought Indonesian Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Vice President Mohammad Hatta to India, helping bring the two countries closer.— ANI (@ANI) PM Modi recalls Biju Patnaik's historic mission PM Modi's remarks referred to Patnaik's role in supporting Indonesia's independence movement in 1947. Then a pilot and founder of Kalinga Airlines, Patnaik flew a Dakota DC-3 aircraft into Dutch-controlled territory, evaded Dutch forces and safely evacuated Indonesian nationalist leaders Mohammad Hatta and Sutan Sjahrir to India. The mission strengthened bilateral ties, earned Patnaik the friendship of Indonesia's first President Sukarno and led to him receiving the title "Bhoomi Putra" or "Son of the Soil". The Prime Minister also noted that Indonesia gained independence in 1945, while India became independent in 1947, and said India had strongly supported Indonesia's struggle for sovereignty. How Biju Patnaik rescued Indonesia's leaders After the Second World War ended in 1945, the Dutch sought to re-establish colonial rule over Indonesia after losing control of the territory to Japan during the war. Indonesian nationalists led by President Sukarno declared independence following Japan's surrender and resisted Dutch attempts to regain control. Following a major Dutch military offensive, Indonesian Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Vice President Mohammad Hatta were placed under house arrest in Jakarta, while exit routes from the country were blocked. In July 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, then heading India's interim government, entrusted the 31-year-old Patnaik with a covert mission to rescue the two leaders. Accompanied by his wife and co-pilot Gyanwati Patnaik, he flew a Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft into Indonesian airspace despite Dutch warnings that the aircraft would be shot down. Patnaik reportedly responded that any attack on his aircraft would result in Dutch planes being targeted over Indian skies. He landed on a makeshift airstrip near Jakarta and successfully flew Sjahrir and Hatta to India through Singapore. The leaders arrived in New Delhi on July 24, 1947, for secret meetings with Nehru. The operation helped draw international attention to Indonesia's independence movement and increased pressure on the Dutch, who formally recognised Indonesia's independence on December 27, 1949. For his contribution, Indonesia granted Patnaik honorary citizenship and conferred on him the Bhoomi Putra award, one of the country's highest honours rarely given to a foreign national. PM Modi holds wide-ranging talks with Indonesian President PM Modi is on a three-day visit to Indonesia. During the visit, he held wide-ranging discussions with President Prabowo Subianto, reviewing the full spectrum of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including trade and investment, defence, maritime cooperation, digital and financial technology, energy, healthcare, space, critical minerals, culture, tourism, agriculture and people-to-people ties. The two leaders also welcomed the launch of the Indonesia Open Network (ION), modelled on India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). To mark the 100th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore's visit to Indonesia in 2027, PM Modi announced that both countries would jointly observe the year as the "Tagore-Dewantara Year for Cultural and Educational Diplomacy", according to the Ministry of External Affairs.