[7] Nowadays, the government requests the public to fly the national flag for a whole month in August (starting from the 1st till the 31st) to commemorate the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence of the country.

The ceremony starts as the tri-services and police guard of honour enters the palace forecourt at about 9.30 AM to the tune of marching music from combined military band.

As the president and vice-president enter the palace, the Ceremony Commander (Komandan Upacara), usually a colonel, leads the parade in the general salute to the president, followed by the remembrance of the proclamation of independence precisely at 10.00 AM accompanied by 17-gun salute fired from the National Monument (Monas) by the Indonesian Army 7th Field Artillery Battalion.

The procession continued by reading of the proclamation of Independence by the speaker of the House of Representatives, followed by moment of silence known as Mengheningkan Cipta—which is always accompanied with the playing of a hymn originating since at least 1958 composed by Surakarta Sunanate composer Truno Prawit [id]—to remember those who have fallen in duty and national prayer read by the Minister of Religious Affairs.

As they enter the complex, the national flag is presented to the color company of students and personnel of the Presidential Security Force.

After the flag is raised, a fly-past is conducted by the Indonesian Air Force fighter aircraft right above the Merdeka Palace followed by joint services national flag flypast with helicopters of the Armed Forces and Police (introduced in the 2021 parade inspired by the Singapore National Day Parade), continued with orchestral and musical performance by Indonesian national orchestra the Gita Bahana Nusantara (under direction of Directorate of Films, Music, and Media Affairs) presenting Indonesian patriotic and traditional songs.

The ceremony is concluded by a final general salute to the president and the honour guards exit the palace forecourt at noon.

At 5 PM Western Indonesian Time, the National Flag Lowering Ceremony takes place at Merdeka Palace hosted by the president and vice-president of Indonesia.

They might take the form of a modest carnival, organized by local people, where children and sometimes adults wear patriotic clothes, or  traditional ethnic costumes.

Some larger parades might be held and organized by provincial, regency, or municipal governments, staged in main thoroughfares of cities.