Canada Sees Indonesia as Key Partner in Shifting Global Order

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s expanding global influence is increasingly aligned with Canada’s vision for a more resilient, secure and prosperous future, Canada’s Ambassador to Indonesia Jess Dutton said on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at the Canada in Asia Conference (CIAC) 2026 in Singapore.

Speaking at the regional forum, Dutton highlighted Indonesia’s rising geopolitical and economic significance at a time when the world faces intensifying geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation and mounting climate pressures.

“Indonesia’s growing global role increasingly aligns with Canada’s vision of building a more resilient, secure, and prosperous future,” Dutton said, as quoted by Antara.

He described Indonesia as a dynamic global force amid global uncertainty and cited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s concept of “variable geometry” - flexible, issue-specific partnerships built on shared interests, trust and capacity.

“In my view, Canada’s relationship with Indonesia clearly reflects this approach - pragmatic, strategic, and economically oriented,” he said.

According to Dutton, Indonesia today represents a confident and influential voice of the Global South, a large and growing economy, and a strategically positioned geopolitical actor. “For Canada, which seeks to diversify commercial ties, strengthen the rules-based international order, and safeguard long-term security, Indonesia is of great importance,” he added.

He added that Indonesia is also a global force in several key sectors, including agriculture and strategic minerals such as nickel, palm oil and rubber. “From an economic standpoint, Indonesia is clearly a major commercial power, with its economy growing above 5 percent annually and ranking as the largest in Southeast Asia,” the ambassador said.

Looking ahead, Dutton said Indonesia’s growth trajectory remains highly promising and that by 2050 it is projected to become one of the world’s five largest economies.

“Against the backdrop of vast opportunities as well as complexity, Canada is very well positioned. Our bilateral commercial relationship is currently relatively moderate at around USD 5.5 billion annually, but it has increased by more than 9 percent compared to last year,” he concluded. ***