Indonesia and France Sign 21 Bilateral Deals, Deepening Strategic Ties from Defense to Green Minerals

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JAKARTA, investortrust.id – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of 21 cooperation documents on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, during a state visit that marked a historic milestone in bilateral relations. The agreements span defense, agriculture, financial regulation, energy transition, and cultural exchange, and were sealed at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

The ceremonies symbolized a deepening of the Indonesia–France strategic partnership, with intergovernmental (G-to-G), inter-agency (P-to-P), business-to-business (B-to-B), and central bank-level cooperation forming the backbone of the comprehensive framework.

Four Joint Declarations

The two leaders began the occasion by adopting four declarations, affirming shared long-term commitments:

1. Joint Vision 2050 for an enhanced strategic partnership.

2. Cultural Strategy Declaration to promote bilateral cultural collaboration.

3. Declaration on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Issue through a two-state solution.

4. Presidential Statement of Cooperation reaffirming bilateral trust.

Eleven G-to-G and P-to-P Agreements

Ten agreements were signed between government agencies, and one between public institutions, covering:

1. Cooperation Agreement on Diplomatic Capacity Building, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono and France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships.

2. Cooperation Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified and Protected Information in the Field of Defense (MPCIA), signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Defense and France’s Minister of the Armed Forces.

3. Strategic Defense Cooperation Agreement, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Defense and France’s Minister of the Armed Forces.

4. Cooperation Agreement in the Field of Agriculture, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Agriculture and France’s Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

5. Cooperation Agreement on Critical Minerals and Metals, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources and France’s Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

6. Cooperation Agreement on Sustainable Forestry, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry and France’s Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

7. Cooperation Agreement in the Creative Economy Sector, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Creative Economy and France’s Minister of Culture.

8. Cooperation Agreement in the Field of Culture, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Culture and France’s Minister of Culture.

9. Cooperation Agreement on Disaster Risk Management, signed by the Head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships.

10. Cooperation Agreement in the Field of Transportation, signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Transportation and France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships.

Meanwhile, one P-to-P agreement that was signed is a cooperation agreement in the development of the equestrian sports ecosystem between Pordasi and several leading French equestrian institutions, including IFCE, FFE, France Galop, and AFASEC.

Central Bank MoU: BI–Banque de France Cooperation

Bank Indonesia (BI) and Banque de France (BdF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in central banking, effective from May 15, 2025.

BI Governor Perry Warjiyo described the agreement as a "milestone in deepening institutional ties" and a key outcome of the Prabowo–Macron bilateral meeting. “This MoU is more than symbolic. It reflects a shared commitment to sustainable finance and managing climate-related financial risks,” Perry said in a statement.

BdF Governor François Villeroy de Galhau echoed this sentiment, stressing the strategic role of both central banks in safeguarding monetary and financial stability while promoting sustainable finance.

BI’s Head of Communications Ramdan Denny Prakoso said the collaboration spans digital innovation in payment systems, sustainable finance, climate-related financial risks, and regulatory and supervisory frameworks—including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures.

Implementation will involve policy dialogues, knowledge exchanges, joint studies, capacity building, and data sharing, according to BI. The agreement reflects a structured effort to enhance cooperation in key areas such as monetary policy, macroprudential stability, and payment systems.

“At the national level, this underscores BI’s strong commitment to supporting the Asta Cita agenda of the Indonesian government,” Ramdan added.

Strategic Partnerships Showcased

In addition to the signings, five strategic partnerships were showcased during the “showing” session before the heads of state, namely:

1. A cooperation agreement between the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and Danone, aimed at supporting national nutrition improvement efforts to build a healthy and advanced generation.

2. A cooperation agreement between Danantara, the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), and Eramet, related to critical minerals collaboration to support the electric vehicle ecosystem and nickel downstreaming.

3. A joint investment between PT RGE Indonesia and TotalEnergies, related to the development of solar power plant projects and battery energy storage to support the energy transition.

4. An investment between PT Citra Bonang and Lesaffre, related to the expansion of yeast production facilities to strengthen the supply chain in support of food security priorities.

5. A cooperation agreement between PT SMI, PT PLN, and HDF, regarding the development of a green hydrogen project in Eastern Indonesia to promote clean energy, including through financing support in the electricity sector.