The Garuda emblem has a unique, complex, and meaningful design that was created by Sultan Hamid II and was adopted as the symbol of Indonesia on February 11, 1950. Overall, the symbol is a golden Garuda bird or eagle with its head facing to the right, it has a crest on its head, sharp eyes, and its beak is slightly open. Its wings are outstretched, and each wing has 17 feathers, symbolizing Indonesia's Independence Day, which falls on the 17th of August.
Its feet grasp a white ribbon with the inscription "Bhineka Tunggal Ika." Additionally, on its neck, there are 45 feathers, symbolizing the year of Indonesia's independence, which is 1945. Below the neck down to the base of the tail, there is a shield with 5 symbols representing Pancasila. On the upper right part, there is an image of a bull's head with a red background, symbolizing the fourth principle of Pancasila.
On the upper left part, there is an image of a banyan tree with a white background, representing the third principle of Pancasila. On the lower right part, there is an image of rice and cotton with a white background, signifying the fifth principle of Pancasila. On the lower left part, there is an image of a chain with a red background, representing the second principle of Pancasila.
In the center of the shield, there is a smaller black shield with a star, symbolizing the first principle of Pancasila. Below the shield or at the base of the tail, there are 19 short feathers and 8 long feathers. The number 19 symbolizes the year of Indonesia's independence, which is 1945, and the number 8 represents the month of Indonesia's independence, which is August. In short The Garuda Pancasila symbol is an iconic and meaningful symbol that represents Indonesia's history of independence and the principles of Pancasila in one complex emblem.