Erdogan and Prabowo Strengthen Bilateral Ties with Commitments on IKN Development, Trade, and Defense Cooperation

BOGOR, investortrust.id – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have strengthened their countries' bilateral relations with a series of commitments, including Turkey's involvement in Indonesia's new capital, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN). In their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, on Feb. 12, 2025, the two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation in trade, defense, and education, alongside signing 13 new agreements across multiple sectors.

"We are also committed to participating in the IKN Nusantara project," Erdogan stated. To solidify this commitment, Erdogan announced that Turkey’s world-class construction companies would be directly involved in the project. "This will be achieved by engaging our globally renowned construction firms," he emphasized.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Indonesia on February 11–12, 2025, as part of a broader Asian tour that also included Malaysia and Pakistan.

Expanding Economic and Tourism Ties

Beyond IKN, Erdogan and Prabowo discussed a range of cooperation initiatives spanning agriculture, the economy, and the halal industry. The two leaders also explored opportunities to enhance tourism and increase air connectivity between the two nations.

Erdogan highlighted the strong tourism links, noting that over 200,000 Indonesians visited Turkey in 2024, while 50,000 Turkish nationals traveled to Indonesia.

"While these figures are encouraging, I believe there is still much untapped potential," he said.

Education Cooperation Strengthens Bilateral Ties

Education was another key discussion point, with Erdogan revealing that approximately 5,000 Indonesian students are currently studying in Turkey.

"We recognize the enthusiasm of Indonesian students for Turkish scholarships and view them as cultural ambassadors between our nations," Erdogan remarked.

Prabowo Calls for Stronger Trade and Defense Cooperation

During their discussions, Prabowo underscored Indonesia’s desire to strengthen economic and defense ties with Turkey. He emphasized the need for a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship and urged both nations to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

"Indonesia and Turkey have yet to establish a trade agreement. Therefore, let us expedite the completion of CEPA to bolster our economies," Prabowo said.

Joint Defense Production and Industry Partnerships

The defense sector was also a focal point of the meeting, with Prabowo expressing his desire to enhance cooperation in defense production.

"We appreciate President Erdogan’s support, and we seek to establish joint ventures with several Turkish companies for co-production in the defense sector," he stated.

Indonesia has already formed partnerships with leading Turkish defense firms, including Roketsan, Aselsan, Havelsan, and Baykar. Prabowo emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to actively participating in Turkey’s ongoing defense programs.

13 Bilateral Agreements Signed

The high-level meeting concluded with the signing of 13 agreements across various sectors, including trade, energy, education, defense, and broadcasting. The agreements include:

1. Religious Affairs and Education – Collaboration between Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs

2. Energy and Natural Resources – Agreement between Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and its Turkish counterpart.

3. Higher Education Cooperation – Agreement between Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Turkey’s Higher Education Council.

4. Healthcare and Medical Science – Bilateral agreement on medical cooperation.

5. Strategic Defense Industry Collaboration – Defense ministries of both countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

6. Trade Cooperation – Agreement to enhance bilateral trade.

7. Agriculture Cooperation – MoU between Indonesian and Turkish agricultural ministries.

8. Investment Promotion and Facilitation – Commitment to strengthen investment ties.

9. Industrial Development – Formation of a joint committee on industrial cooperation.

10. Joint Drone Production – A joint venture between Indonesia’s Republikorp and Turkey’s Baykar to establish a drone manufacturing facility in Indonesia.

11. Television Broadcasting – Collaboration between Turkish Radio Television Corporation (TRT) and TVRI (Indonesia’s public broadcaster).

12. Radio Broadcasting – MoU between TRT and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI).

13. News Agency Cooperation – Agreement between Anadolu Agency (AA) and Indonesia’s Antara News Agency.