Indonesia, Russia Seek Stronger Industrial Ties Through BRICS

RRI. CO. ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and Russia are looking to deepen cooperation in strategic industries as Jakarta seeks to maximize opportunities from its membership in BRICS.

The commitment was highlighted during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) 2026 in Xiamen, China, where both sides discussed potential collaboration in sectors with strong growth prospects.

Indonesian Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the two countries' 76-year relationship continues to expand through cooperation across various sectors.

"The BRICS PartNIR Forum is very important for us. We highly appreciate the Russian government's support for Indonesia's BRICS membership and are interested in hearing views on the future direction of industrial cooperation within the BRICS framework," Minister Agus said, on Thursday, June 11, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The meeting was attended by officials from Indonesian Ministry of Industry and Russia's Trade Mission in China. Discussions focused on strengthening industrial partnerships, technological innovation, downstream development, and more resilient global supply chains.

Director General for Industrial Resilience, Regional Development, and International Industrial Access, Tri Supondy, said stronger international cooperation is essential for expanding market access and industrial networks.

"The synergy between Indonesia and Russia is expected to open concrete opportunities that add value to the industrial development of both countries," he said.

Economic ties between the two countries have shown positive growth. Indonesia's non-oil and gas trade with Russia reached about USD 1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 1.13 percent year-on-year. Indonesia's exports to Russia totaled USD 3.3 billion in 2024, an increase of 13.38 percent from the previous year.

Both countries also explored broader cooperation within BRICS ahead of China's chairmanship next year. Indonesia welcomed progress on the Indonesia-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (I-EAEU FTA) signed in December 2025 and reaffirmed its participation as Partner Country at the INNOPROM 2026 industrial exhibition in Russia.

Tri expressed optimism that cooperation through the BRICS PartNIR Forum would further strengthen Indonesia-Russia relations and support the development of modern, globally competitive industries. ***