Indonesia-France Business Council Launched: Key Targets Revealed

Investment and Downstreaming Minister and BKPM Head Rosan Perkasa Roeslani believes the establishment of the Indonesia-France High-Level Business Council will serve as a crucial catalyst for accelerating foreign investment into Indonesia. According to Rosan, the forum marks a new chapter in strengthening economic relations between Indonesia and France. The establishment of the business council is seen as a strategic move to deepen bilateral partnership amid increasingly complex global economic dynamics. The inauguration of the Indonesia-France High-Level Business Council was announced during President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to Paris, France, on Thursday, 28 May 2026. The event was witnessed by President Prabowo alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Rosan explained that the forum is not merely a meeting space for business leaders. Rather, the business council is designed to act as a locomotive accelerating investment, expanding trade, and strengthening strategic collaborations that add value for both nations. The council is jointly led by the Chairman of the France-Indonesia Business Council MEDEF International, also serving as Danone’s Chief Executive Officer Antoine de Saint-Affrique, and the Chairman of Indonesia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Anindya Bakrie. The forum brings together around 30 top business leaders and industry executives from Indonesia and France. Collectively, the participating companies have a market capitalisation of approximately $1.3 trillion. At the same event, Rosan revealed that the council’s launch also resulted in four new commercial agreements worth $3.5 billion. These cover energy security, trade, and defence cooperation sectors. He noted that growing French business interest signals positive prospects for Indonesia’s economy. The agreements demonstrate Indonesia’s rising status as a strategic partner with long-term growth potential and an increasingly attractive and competitive investment climate. Rosan also stressed that the Indonesia-France Business Council will play a crucial role in overseeing the implementation of existing memoranda of understanding and investment commitments, including follow-ups from President Macron’s state visit to Indonesia in mid-May 2025. During the official visit, the two countries signed 27 MoUs with a total value exceeding $11 billion. According to Rosan, the next challenge is not merely generating new commitments but ensuring all agreements are concretely realised. Therefore, the business forum will serve as a coordination instrument to identify obstacles, expedite problem resolution, and ensure effective investment implementation. Looking ahead, the Indonesia-France Business Council aims to triple bilateral trade by 2035. With full support from both governments, Kadin Indonesia and MEDEF International have pledged to strengthen the bilateral economic corridor. This step is expected to open new collaboration opportunities in priority sectors of strategic value for both nations’ futures. Rosan is optimistic that Indonesia-France economic ties will continue to strengthen. The synergy between government and business, he said, is fundamental to creating sustainable growth, expanding job opportunities, and enhancing both nations’ competitiveness amid an evolving global economic landscape.