UK Says Indonesia Increasingly Ambitious, Ready to Provide This Support

The British government assesses that Indonesia is currently becoming more ambitious in pursuing economic growth and strengthening its position on the global stage. Because of this, the country stated it is ready to support various economic reform agendas being undertaken by the Indonesian government. This assessment was conveyed by the British Ambassador to Indonesia, Dominic Jermey, during the celebration of King Charles III’s 78th birthday in Jakarta, Wednesday (10/6/2026). According to Dominic, Indonesia is currently demonstrating a grand vision regarding economic growth, youth development, future industry development, and the role it wishes to play in the global order. ‘More than ever, Indonesia is a country that thinks big. About growth, about the young generation, about Indonesia’s position in the world, about the industries it wants to build, and about the future it wants to shape,’ Dominic said. He assessed that this ambition is one reason the UK is increasingly optimistic about the bilateral relationship between the two countries. ‘That ambition is contagious. And that is one reason why I am very optimistic about the UK-Indonesia relationship,’ he stated. Dominic said this optimism is reflected in the launch of the UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership and the Economic Growth Partnership announced by President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister Keir Starmer last January. Through this partnership, the two countries agreed to expand trade and investment, remove trade barriers, strengthen green energy cooperation, and enhance people-to-people connections. ‘We want to support Indonesia’s national priorities while creating opportunities for both countries,’ he said. UK support for Indonesia’s economic agenda was also conveyed by the British Ambassador to ASEAN, Helen Fazey. She said one of the main focuses of the UK-ASEAN Economic Integration Programme is supporting regulatory reform, strengthening an open economy, and improving access to financing. ‘Our Economic Integration Programme has three main focuses, namely regulatory reform, an open economy including improving customs systems and trade facilitation, as well as the financial services sector and access to financing,’ Helen said. In his speech, Dominic also affirmed that the UK supports a number of Indonesia’s economic priorities, including strengthening intellectual property rights protection and Indonesia’s preparation towards full membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). ‘I am also enthusiastic about the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme which supports Indonesia’s economic priorities, including regulatory reform, strengthening intellectual property rights enforcement, and supporting Indonesia’s ambition towards OECD readiness,’ he said. In addition to economic reform, the UK is also expanding cooperation in the technology and strategic industries sectors. One way is through collaboration between British semiconductor company Arm Holdings and Danantara to develop the national semiconductor ecosystem and train thousands of Indonesian engineers. In the maritime sector, the UK is also partnering with defence company Babcock International in a Maritime Partnership Programme that includes the construction of fishing vessels and defence frigates in Indonesia. According to Dominic, these various initiatives demonstrate the type of partnership the UK wants to build with Indonesia. ‘That is the partnership we want to build: practical, ambitious, and mutually beneficial,’ he said.