Bahlil: Free and Active Politics, Free and Active Economy Too

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that Indonesia’s economic policy adheres to the principle of being free and active. This principle, he said, means that Indonesia may transact with any country. The General Chairman of the Golkar Party noted that Indonesia’s economic activities are guided by foreign policy that is also free and active. “The Indonesian government always prioritises free and active politics, and within that free and active politics, there is also free and active economics,” Bahlil said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, 16 April 2026. Therefore, Bahlil assessed, Indonesia has the flexibility to interact with various countries. “So we can shop anywhere as long as we are committed to the people or countries with whom we have made cooperation invitations,” he explained. Indonesia, he said, respects all agreements with other countries, from Russia to Nigeria. “And more specifically, what we also respect includes our agreement with the United States,” Bahlil stated. Bahlil conveyed this view after the government discussed cooperation on importing crude oil from Russia. The crude oil import agreement from Russia is part of the results of President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Moscow, Russia. Prabowo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, 13 April 2026, at the Kremlin Palace. After the meeting with Putin, Prabowo tasked Bahlil to discuss the details of that cooperation with the Russian government. “President Prabowo tasked Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia to meet with Putin’s special envoy and the Russian Minister of Energy for further detailed discussions in Moscow,” said Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in a written statement on Wednesday, 15 April 2026. Teddy stated that Prabowo’s meeting with Putin in Moscow reaffirmed the enhancement of cooperation related to long-term national energy supplies. This includes crude oil reserves and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Through this agreement, Indonesia will obtain supplies of crude oil and LPG from Russia. This cooperation is being explored through government-to-government or G2G schemes as well as business-to-business or B2B. In addition, Indonesia has expressed openness to expanding the scope of cooperation with Russia, including the development of crude storage, long-term supplies of crude oil and LPG, nuclear exploration, and cooperation in the mineral sector.