Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pitched Indonesia as Russia’s “natural entry point” to Asean, calling for deeper trade, investment and transport links as Moscow increasingly turns towards Asia.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok on Thursday (Sep 3), Prabowo urged Russian businesses to use Indonesia to access the Asean market of about 680 million people. He also called for the Pacific to become a “highway between our two economies”, rather than a barrier separating Indonesia from Russia’s Far East.
“For Eurasian businesses, Indonesia is a natural entry point to Asean,” Prabowo said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the same plenary session, described the Asia-Pacific (Apac) as “a powerful centre of growth” that was setting the pace for the development of the global economy. He said Russia was an active participant in investment and trade cooperation in the region and interacted as equals with its partners and leading regional integration groupings.
The EEF, now in its 11th year, was established by Russia to attract investment into the resource-rich Russian Far East and strengthen its economic links with Asia. Putin said about 25 trillion roubles (US$288.5 billion) in investment had flowed into the region over the past 11 years, while its gross regional product had more than tripled.
Prabowo’s appearance as the forum’s main guest of honour comes as Russia increasingly redirects its energy trade towards Asia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and subsequent Western sanctions. China and India have become major buyers of Russian oil.
Much of Prabowo’s address focused on improving connectivity. He outlined plans to expand major railways and modernise ports and cross-border infrastructure, while Putin promoted the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, which would link Russia’s western ports to Vladivostok by sea and connect with the Apac through the Northern Sea Route.
During a bilateral meeting before the plenary, Putin described Indonesia as “one of Russia’s key partners in the Asia-Pacific region” and a trusted friend within Asean. He highlighted potential cooperation in agriculture, shipbuilding, digital technology and energy, particularly nuclear power.
The two leaders’ meeting was the second between them in 2026, following the elevation of Indonesia-Russia relations to a strategic partnership in 2025. Putin said their personal contacts reflected the “strategic nature” of bilateral relations.
Trade was central to Prabowo’s economic pitch. Bilateral trade reached US$4.8 billion in 2025, an increase of 21.7 per cent from the previous year, according to Indonesia’s Trade Ministry.
Indonesia also signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in December 2025. The grouping comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Prabowo said the agreement would eliminate or reduce tariffs on 11,882 tariff lines, covering more than 90 per cent of the EAEU’s total tariff lines, and was expected to enter into force in early 2027.
He proposed doubling trade during the first review period and called for faster completion of domestic procedures by EAEU members.
Prabowo also urged the establishment of direct shipping between Indonesia and the Russian Far East and more direct air links between the two countries.
“Ships move goods. Aircraft move friendship,” he said.
Energy was another priority, with Prabowo inviting Russian cooperation in oil and gas exploration, production and processing, as well as renewable energy, smart grids and civilian nuclear power. He also proposed joint financing of projects by Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
“Come to Indonesia, work with us, produce with us. Let us build industries together. Let us create value together,” Prabowo said. “And from Indonesia, let us reach the wider markets of Asean and the Indo-Pacific together.”
Prabowo framed the expanding economic relationship within Indonesia’s longstanding “free and active” foreign policy, stressing that closer ties with Moscow did not represent a move towards a military alliance.
“Indonesia does not want to join any military alliance, but we seek to join economic alliances,” he said, describing the EAEU FTA as “not an alliance against anyone, but a partnership for the prosperity of everyone”.
He also rejected the idea that closer cooperation among developing economies would create another geopolitical bloc.
“The Global South is not a new bloc,” Prabowo said. “It is a constituency for fairness, for a fair share of prosperity, and a fair voice in writing global rules.”
“We came to St Petersburg to make friends, and now we come to Vladivostok to turn the friendship into pragmatic results,” he added.
