Prabowo and Starmer Deepen Indonesia-UK Strategic Partnership From Maritime to Education

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Prabowo Subianto meets Keir Starmer on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026 in London to strengthen the Indonesia-UK strategic partnership across maritime cooperation, education, and human capital development, a move aimed at accelerating economic growth and long term bilateral stability.

The meeting takes place at the UK Prime Minister’s Office and forms part of Prabowo’s official working visit to the United Kingdom to expand concrete cooperation following the formalization of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Prabowo expresses appreciation for what he describes as a productive visit, highlighting a series of high level engagements with British government, business leaders, and academic institutions.

“I met with the CEO of Babcock and we are very pleased to continue this maritime partnership,” Prabowo says. “I think this will be very important and strategic for Indonesia and will become a key part of our maritime economic development.”

He adds that the maritime collaboration is expected to support Indonesia’s naval capability and industrial ecosystem while generating economic spillovers for both countries.

Beyond maritime cooperation, Prabowo says he also plans further discussions with British business leaders and senior representatives of the Russell Group, underscoring education as a pillar of the partnership.

“Today I will also hold discussions with UK business leaders and with leaders of the Russell Group universities,” Prabowo says. “This has been very productive and I truly value our relationship, Prime Minister.”

Starmer welcomes Prabowo’s visit as a reflection of the rapidly advancing bilateral relationship, particularly since the strategic partnership framework was agreed.

“Thank you also for the maritime agreement that we signed, albeit virtually at the G20,” Starmer says. “It has delivered a significant number of jobs that are genuinely important for the United Kingdom.”

Following their private meeting, Prabowo and Starmer lead a bilateral session with their respective delegations to discuss implementation steps for existing agreements and avenues to expand cooperation further.

The talks reaffirm both governments’ commitment to positioning the strategic partnership as a long term foundation for shared growth, regional stability, and economic resilience.

Later the same day in London, Prabowo addresses the UK–Indonesia Education Roundtable at Lancaster House, where he outlines what he describes as a transformative vision for Indonesia’s education system.

“I am convinced that education is the key to the success of a nation,” Prabowo tells university representatives. “To become a successful nation, we must have the best education that can be achieved.”

He says the 21st century is defined by science and technology and argues that education and healthcare are the fastest instruments to reduce poverty and deliver social justice.

“To create a fair and equal society, the fastest instruments are education and healthcare, and the two are interconnected,” he says. “To achieve both, we need the best human resources.”

Prabowo outlines ongoing national programs, including the development of boarding schools for children from low income families, which he describes as essential to breaking what experts call the poverty trap.

“I believe this is the only way to cut what I hear from experts as the cycle of poverty,” he says.

He notes that 166 such schools are already operating and adds that the government plans additional boarding schools for top academic performers as well as integrated schools for middle income families.

Prabowo also highlights plans to expand digital distance learning nationwide so that students in remote areas can access top quality teachers across all subjects.

“All schools in remote areas will have access to the best teachers in every subject,” he says. “This is how we leap forward because we are far behind in our education standards and we acknowledge this.”

In a separate engagement with the media after the forum, Prabowo invites leading British universities to partner in establishing 10 new world class universities in Indonesia.

“We want to accelerate and catch up,” he says. “We must have education standards equal to the best in the world, using the highest standards from leading British universities.”

He says Indonesia currently faces a severe shortage of medical professionals, estimating a gap of around 140,000 doctors while producing only about 9,000 graduates annually.

“We must address this with a strategic plan because as we train more doctors, others will retire,” Prabowo says.

The proposed universities will focus on medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and science and technology, operate in English, and provide full government scholarships to selected top students.

Prabowo adds that students will undergo intensive English training and that cooperation with the British Council, including IELTS standards, remains open.

Each campus is also planned to include an international standard teaching hospital, a move Prabowo says could save Indonesia up to $6 billion annually in overseas medical spending.

“If we do that, perhaps we can save $6 billion every year and redirect the funds to these universities and hospitals,” he says.

Prabowo concludes by expressing optimism that preparations can be completed so the first cohort of students can be admitted in early 2028, supported by secure, high quality campus environments attractive to international faculty.