Indef believes Russia-France agreements strengthen Indonesia's bargaining position
The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) is convinced that the strategic agreements resulting from President Prabowo Subianto’s visits to Russia and France will strengthen Indonesia’s bargaining position on the global stage.
Indef Executive Director Esther Sri Astuti, contacted in Jakarta on Thursday, stated that the President’s meetings with the leaders of the two countries represent a crucial momentum for advancing cross-sector strategic cooperation while opening new economic opportunities.
According to her, this step is also part of the government’s efforts to enhance Indonesia’s leverage with international partners.
“This is crucial for strategic lobbying that opens business opportunities, creates jobs, and improves Indonesia’s bargaining position,” she said.
In France, she noted, the two governments agreed to strengthen long-standing bilateral relations across various sectors, from defence and technology to the economy and culture.
On the economic front, the meeting between President Prabowo and French President Emmanuel Macron on 14 April 2026 yielded several strategic agreements in business and investment.
One of them involves cooperation with the national investment entity Danantara, with the potential value of the partnership reported to reach tens of billions of US dollars.
In the defence sector, both countries focused on enhancing collaboration in the main weapon systems equipment industry (alutsista), which is expected to strengthen national defence capacity while promoting technology transfer.
Additionally, cooperation in renewable energy became a key discussion point. The two countries are exploring the development of clean energy and new technologies as part of sustainable energy transition efforts.
Furthermore, Indonesia and France agreed to increase coordination in maintaining global stability and security, particularly in the increasingly strategic Indo-Pacific region.
As for Russia, she believes the established cooperation can strengthen national energy resilience amid global geopolitical pressures.
“It just needs to be managed properly,” she said.
She also noted that the visit and agreements reflect Russia’s support for Indonesia’s accession to BRICS and open opportunities for enhanced economic collaboration.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that President Prabowo Subianto brought home various strategic partnership agreements from his state visits to Russia and France.
“Upon arriving back in the homeland, President Prabowo brought home souvenirs in the form of various strategic agreements,” Teddy said when confirmed by ANTARA on Wednesday (15/4).
In Moscow, Teddy said, Prabowo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In that meeting, the two leaders affirmed the enhancement of cooperation on long-term national energy supplies, including crude oil reserves and LPG.
President Prabowo also tasked the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia to meet with Putin’s special envoy and Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev for further detailed discussions on the cooperation in Moscow.
Meanwhile, in Paris, Teddy conveyed that President Prabowo met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss enhancing cooperation in energy, education, digital communications, and long-term economic investment.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that the visits to the two countries have yielded concrete achievements for Indonesia, given that both are major nations with abundant resources and significant roles on the global stage.