Airlangga Targets Kazakhstan as Indonesia's Export Gateway to Eurasia

The government is targeting Kazakhstan as the primary gateway for Indonesia’s trade expansion into the Eurasian region after the completion of the Indonesia–Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (Indonesia–EAEU FTA). Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto stated that Kazakhstan was selected due to its strategic position as a hub for trade connectivity in Central Asia and as an entry point to the Eurasian market. “Indonesia views Kazakhstan as a strategic partner in Central Asia and Eurasia. With Kazakhstan’s geographical position and regional connectivity, there are significant opportunities to strengthen trade, investment, and industrial partnerships between the two countries,” Airlangga said in an official statement on Wednesday (13/5/2026). As the largest economy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $333.7 billion with economic growth reaching 6.5% in 2025. Therefore, Indonesia is beginning to promote strengthened cooperation in various strategic sectors, from energy, industry, critical minerals, logistics, digital economy, to investments. In the meeting, both countries also discussed opportunities for developing regional supply chains, including industrial downstreaming cooperation, electric vehicle and battery development, and new renewable energy such as geothermal. In addition, Indonesia and Kazakhstan are exploring opportunities for cooperation in the oil and gas sector amid rising global energy needs. Kazakhstan is seen as one of the strategic partners in developing connectivity and digital transformation in the Eurasian region. Beyond trade and investment, both countries are also placing great emphasis on strengthening international logistics routes. The Indonesian government wants to leverage Kazakhstan’s position as a trade transit hub to expand export access to Central Asia and Eurasia through the development of transportation corridors and international trade terminals. “Kazakhstan places great emphasis on expanding trade and economic relations with Indonesia. We believe there is significant potential to increase these achievements, and we are very interested in expanding investment cooperation,” said Bektenov. In the investment discussions, both countries also touched on the role of the Astana International Financial Centre as one of the platforms for strengthening regional investment connectivity. The government hopes that cooperation with Kazakhstan can open new trade routes while strengthening the diversification of Indonesia’s export markets beyond traditional partners such as the United States and China.