The Indian Embassy in Jakarta responds to public concerns about its new 18-storey building, clarifying its exclusive use for diplomatic purposes and compliance with legal requirements.
The construction of the new Indian Embassy building on Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta, has become a hot topic on social media. The building’s unique design—combining diplomatic functions with 18-floor apartments—has drawn various responses and speculation from the public.
Attention is centred on the legality of the project on the 6,916-square-metre site. So far, no embassy in Jakarta has integrated residential functions into a diplomatic complex, especially on such a large scale.
A netizen, Arrus, through his TikTok account, @souraja.muda, even uploaded a video titled “People Reject the Construction of the Indian Embassy: There are Apartments in an 18-floor Building”, claiming that the project had been halted due to a lawsuit filed by local residents. This content immediately went viral and has been watched more than 282 thousand times, liked by almost 16 thousand people, and drawn in more than 250 comments as well as various theories by the netizens.
Clarification from the Indian Embassy
Responding to the various rumours circulating on social media, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta stated that the information was baseless and had the potential to mislead the public. In a written statement received by the press on Monday, the 25th of November, the Indian Embassy described the allegations as part of a planned effort to damage their reputation.
“The Embassy of India, Jakarta has observed the circulation of false and misleading news regarding the proposed new Indian Embassy building in Jakarta. These reports, questioning the purpose of the apartments within the building and its height of 18 floors, are baseless and appear to be part of an orchestrated attempt to mislead the public and harm the Embassy’s reputation. These claims are completely unfounded and deliberately propagated by individuals with ulterior motives,” the Indian Embassy stated.
The Embassy explained that the apartments in the new building were designed exclusively for use by diplomatic staff, not for commercial purposes, and are situated entirely within the secure embassy complex in accordance with international norms. Furthermore, the Embassy confirmed it had obtained all necessary legal permits for the project, ensuring full compliance with applicable regulations. In addition, the Embassy dismissed claims of violations or irregularities circulating in the community.
The Indian Embassy urged the public not to be swayed by unverified information. This case highlights how discussions on social media can shape public opinion, and how essential it is for all parties to ensure the accuracy of information before engaging in speculation.
“We urge the public to verify facts before drawing conclusions or spreading misinformation that could unintentionally harm the longstanding and friendly relations between India and Indonesia. These two nations share centuries of historical, cultural, trade, economic and development partnership, which should not be undermined by unfounded and baseless allegations,” the Embassy’s statement concluded.