St. Petersburg – Indonesia and Russia have officially reaffirmed a new direction in their strategic partnership through the exchange of several bilateral cooperation documents, witnessed directly by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg. This exchange marks a concrete symbol of the strengthening ties between the two nations across various sectors, including higher education, transportation, digital development, mass media, and investment.
In a joint statement, President Putin referred to Indonesia as one of Russia’s key partners in the Asia-Pacific region. He emphasized that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is built on a foundation of trust and friendship that has endured for 75 years. Putin added that Russia is ready to collaborate on the development of advanced technologies, such as space exploration, smart cities, and artificial intelligence.
“We are open to cooperation with Indonesian partners in the field of nuclear energy. We also wish to realize nuclear projects for peaceful purposes, including in health, agriculture, and personnel training,” said Putin.
On the occasion, President Prabowo expressed his appreciation for Russia’s historic role in supporting Indonesia since the early days of independence. He recalled that the Soviet Union once provided substantial assistance to Indonesia during a time of poverty, without imposing burdensome repayment demands.
“To this day, the Indonesian people have not forgotten the support from Russia. Many important infrastructures in Indonesia were built thanks to Russia’s assistance,” he stated.
The meeting between the two leaders also resulted in the Declaration of Strategic Partnership, marking a new foundation for broader and multidimensional bilateral relations. In addition to bilateral cooperation, both countries also noted the substantive conclusion of the Indonesia–Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (I–EAEU FTA), as announced by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, on the sidelines of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Airlangga stated that the agreement opens significant opportunities for expanding market access, improving logistics, and increasing investment flows between Indonesia and EAEU member countries, including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
“I hope both parties can soon follow up by completing all necessary steps so that the agreement can be signed in 2025,” said Airlangga.
The continuously growing Indonesia–Russia strategic cooperation signifies an important milestone that, amid global dynamics, bilateral relations can evolve into a strong, mutually beneficial, and long-term partnership that serves the interests of both nations’ peoples.
