What do Turkiye and Indonesia want from bilateral talks?

Turkiye and Indonesia aim to deepen cooperation in defence, energy and emerging technologies following high-level talks in Jakarta, as both countries push to expand economic ties in a bid to reach a $10bn bilateral trade target agreed in April last year.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during an official visit to the capital on Wednesday, according to sources quoted in the Turkish press. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono received Fidan on his arrival and held formal talks. Later, Subianto also hosted Fidan.

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The meetings focused on increasing collaboration in the defence industry, including earlier Turkish involvement in Indonesian procurement programmes and joint development efforts for armoured vehicle and drone-related technology, alongside energy projects, transport links, artificial intelligence (AI) and the halal sector.

In a statement on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal following the talks, Fidan described the discussions as “highly productive” and said they had advanced a “wide-ranging agenda” shared by both countries.

So, what exactly are Indonesia and Turkiye hoping to achieve, what has their past relationship been like and what do they have in common? Here’s what we know.

What are Indonesia and Turkiye hoping to achieve?

The two nations are working towards raising bilateral trade to $10bn, while broadening cooperation in strategic sectors such as defence manufacturing, energy security, transport infrastructure, AI and the halal food industry.

There is some way to go before this target is likely to be hit. According to Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS), trade between Indonesia and Turkiye increased from $2.1bn in 2023 to nearly $2.4bn in 2024.

Indonesia’s trade surplus – the difference between the amount it exports and the amount it imports – with Turkiye rose from $940m to almost $1.5bn between 2023 and 2024.

In practical terms, cooperation has already begun to take shape in defence industry projects. Turkiye’s growing defence sector, particularly in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and armoured vehicles production, has been identified as an area of joint interest, with trade between the two states growing.

The energy sector is another pillar. Indonesia’s need for infrastructure investment, combined with Turkiye’s interest in expanding its overseas construction and energy footprint, is driving this, with expected joint projects in energy transport, power generation and renewables.

AI and digital technology cooperation has also been flagged as a key area of interest, reflecting both countries’ ambitions to position themselves in emerging global technology value chains.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meets Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, on June 2, 2026 [Handout/Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Anadolu]

What will bilateral trade on that scale mean for regional politics?

A trade relationship reaching $10bn would still be modest compared with the ties Indonesia has with major economic partners such as China, Japan or the United States, but it would mark a significant upgrade in South-South economic cooperation, with both emerging economies sharing a historical commitment to the Global South.

Typically, analysts refer to states such as Indonesia and Turkiye as “middle powers” seeking greater autonomy in a world shaped by the break-up of traditional blocs and increasingly dominated by the interactions of global powers, such as the US and China.

However, boosting Turkiye-Indonesia ties would strengthen the diplomatic prominence of both countries, particularly within multilateral forums such as the G20, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations, giving them more influence over the shaping of international relations through negotiations and talks.

“As fellow countries in the Global South, Indonesia and Turkiye share the view that regional stability should be maintained through dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” a statement from the Indonesian government said.

What do the two countries have in common?

Both Turkiye and Indonesia are large, populous Muslim-majority countries positioned at strategic geographic crossroads: Turkiye sits between Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, while Indonesia sits on key maritime routes in Southeast Asia.

Both also see themselves as independent foreign policy actors, reluctant to align fully with any significant power bloc.

Economically, both are emerging market economies seeking to move up the value chain through industrialisation, technological development and export diversification. Politically, both governments have increasingly emphasised sovereignty, strategic autonomy and a more “multipolar” global order.

What have relations been like between the two states?

Warm.

Turkiye recently played a critical role in the repatriation of Indonesian activists detained by Israel while they were participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid by sea to Gaza.

Indonesian officials described the episode as an example of “solidarity in action”, underscoring how political alignment has occasionally translated into consular and logistical cooperation.

Elsewhere, the relationship has been shaped by strong alignment on international political issues, particularly Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and broader questions of Palestinian statehood. Both countries have consistently called for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian access, including through coordinated positions in the UN and the OIC.

While Turkiye formally joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024, Indonesia cannot officially join as it is not a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention.

However, Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has repeatedly voiced its support for Palestinian statehood in multilateral forums.

This convergence has become a defining feature of the relationship.