Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto appreciated Russia's support for Indonesia's full membership in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).He then highlighted positive developments in bilateral relations between Indonesia and Russia, especially in the economic, trade, and other strategic sectors.
"I monitor developments, and I see a lot of progress in various fields such as in the economy. Our agreements to participate in the Eurasian Free Trade are also showing a positive trend," he said in a statement on Sunday.
During a bilateral meeting at the Konstantinovsky Palace, St. Petersburg, on June 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that relations between the two countries continue to develop consistently, with an increase in trade volume and the potential for wider cooperation in the agricultural sector, space exploration, energy, and military and technical cooperation.
The meeting between the two leaders also provided momentum to strengthen concrete partnerships, including through the substantial completion of the Indonesia–Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (I–EAEU FTA) negotiations, which are targeted to be finalized this year.
The two countries also discussed cooperation on cross-border payment systems through the use of QRIS and Local Currency Transactions (LCT), which will be implemented directly without going through third parties.
Baca juga: Prabowo berterima kasih ke Putin atas dukungan Indonesia masuk BRICS
In the energy sector, Indonesia expressed interest in expanding collaboration, including the development of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology and the alignment of technical standards through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA).
Collaboration is also encouraged in the pharmaceutical and research fields, followed by an offer from Russia for cooperation in the agriculture and food sector, especially in the provision of raw materials for fertilizer, agricultural seeds, and meat products.
Baca juga: Prabowo, Putin say relations stronger amid global turmoil
In return, Indonesia is pushing for increased exports of crude palm oil (CPO) to the Russian market. In the tourism sector, Prabowo proposed the addition of direct flights from Moscow to Denpasar, which are currently available three times a week.
Cooperation will also be expanded in the education sector, with Indonesia's commitment to sending more students to universities in Russia. Meanwhile, the sports sector, especially badminton, as well as strengthening people-to-people contact between the two countries were also part of the discussion.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto assessed that President Prabowo's presence at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025 was proof of Indonesia's commitment to strengthening global strategic partnerships and playing an active role in building a more balanced and inclusive world economic architecture.
