Turkey and Indonesia have agreed to deepen cooperation in defense, energy, and advanced technologies following high-level talks in Jakarta. The move is part of efforts to expand economic ties and achieve a $10 billion bilateral trade target set in April last year.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during an official visit to Jakarta on Wednesday. Discussions focused on increasing collaboration in the defense industry, including joint development of armored vehicles and drone technology, as well as energy projects, transport links, artificial intelligence, and the halal sector.
Fidan described the talks as “highly productive” on social media, saying they advanced a “wide-ranging agenda” shared by both countries.
Bilateral trade increased from $2.1 billion in 2023 to nearly $2.4 billion in 2024, according to Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency. Indonesia’s trade surplus with Turkey rose from $940 million to almost $1.5 billion over the same period.
In defense, Turkey’s expertise in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and armored vehicles is seen as a key area for joint projects. Energy cooperation is expected to focus on infrastructure investment, power generation, and renewables.
Both countries, often described as “middle powers,” seek greater autonomy in a multipolar world. They aim to strengthen their influence in multilateral forums such as the G20, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the United Nations.
“As fellow countries in the Global South, Indonesia and Turkey share the view that regional stability should be maintained through dialogue, diplomacy, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” an Indonesian government statement said.
Both nations are large, populous Muslim-majority countries at strategic crossroads: Turkey between Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia; Indonesia on key maritime routes in Southeast Asia.
Turkey recently played a critical role in repatriating Indonesian activists detained by Israel. Indonesian officials described the episode as an example of “solidarity in action.” Both countries have aligned positions on the Palestinian issue, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and increased humanitarian access.
Source: www.aljazeera.com