Economists urge Indonesia to restructure economic ties with the US
This momentum should be utilised by Indonesia to strengthen its position as a sovereign nation capable of determining its own economic policy direction.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Economists are urging the Indonesian government to reorganise its economic relationship with the United States to enhance the independence of its national strategy amid a multipolar system.
“This momentum should be utilised by Indonesia to strengthen its position as a sovereign nation capable of determining its own economic policy direction,” said Senior Economist at the Centre for Financial, Economic, and Development Studies at Binawan University, Farouk Abdullah Alwyni, in a written statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
According to Farouk, the current changes in the global geo-economic landscape are marked by increasing efforts by several world leaders to reduce dependence on the United States (US).
This view has been factually addressed by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto through a series of diplomatic visits to Japan, South Korea, Russia, and France throughout April 2026 to diversify strategic partners.
Similar steps are evident in the regional sphere, as Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz cancelled several tariff agreements with the US following the Supreme Court decision of that country which annulled policies from the Donald Trump era.
Furthermore, he continued, global dynamics show a tendency for European countries and Canada to take strategic distance and expand independent foreign policies.
Farouk assesses that new axes of cooperation are now beginning to form among non-Western powers, particularly between China, Russia, and Iran, encompassing economic, political, and military sectors.
As a tangible implementation of strengthening alternative partnerships, President Prabowo has visited Moscow to discuss energy cooperation and to reinforce Indonesia’s position in South-South cooperation.
This diplomacy is considered strategic given Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to uphold the principle of free and active foreign policy without getting entangled in rivalries between major powers.
Farouk emphasised that reviewing tariff agreements and reassessing strategic cooperation is not a form of confrontation against the United States.