RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – United Kingdom and Indonesian government held a forum on Rail Partnership in Jakarta on Wednesday July 29th 2026. His Majesty's Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Asia Pacific, Martin Kent CMG attend the event.

The UK is home to one of the world's most advanced rail sectors, with over £1 billion rail equipment and service exports per year and 100,000 employees in the sector. The forum supports Indonesia's ambition to expand sustainable urban transport systems, including projects such as MRT Jakarta expansion, LRT developments, urban rail initiatives in Surabaya and other cities, as well as wider railway

modernisation programmes.

"The UK rail sector is one of the most sophisticated in the world, employing around one hundred thousand people and exporting more than one billion pounds worth of rail equipment and services every year. And we are really proud to bring that expertise to Indonesia, from planning and engineering to operations, financing and also transit-oriented development." Martin Kent said.

His Majesty's Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Asia Pacific, Martin Kent CMG, visited Indonesia this week to strengthen UK-Indonesia cooperation on infrastructure, clean energy and investment, underscoring the growing momentum behind the UK–Indonesia Strategic Partnership and Economic Growth Partnership.

During the visit, HMTC led a programme of engagements with government leaders, investors and UK businesses across rail, grid development, and sustainable infrastructure.

A key highlight of the visit was the UK–Indonesia Rail Partnership Forum 2026, which brought together 15 leading UK companies representing the breadth of the British rail ecosystem, including engineering, consultancy, architecture,

operations, rolling stock, equipment and financing.

Meet after the event trade Commissioner Kent stated his gratitude to all partners that has been working together in this forum. "And this forum demonstrates our commitment to building long-term partnerships that support economic growth, that improve connectivity and also deliver lasting benefits to communities across Indonesia. I would like to pay my sincere thanks to Bappenas, to the Ministry of Transportation, our industry partners and to all participants today for their support in making this excellent forum possible. And I look forward to continuing our collaboration and turning today's discussions into tangible projects and outcomes." Mr. Kent said.

Alongside the Rail Forum, HMTC led a “Team UK” delegation promoting British expertise in electricity grid modernisation, transmission systems and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology through engagements with PLN and government stakeholders.

Investment cooperation formed another key part of the visit, discussions with Danantara and leading Indonesian business figures on infrastructure and clean energy projects.

This builds on growing economic ties between the UK and Indonesia, with bilateral trade reaching £4 billion in 2025, an 11% increase over the past year.

"On the economic side, we have an economic growth partnership. Our trading relationship is £4 billion in bilateral trade and it's a, it's a relationship of equals, two billion of imports, two billion of exports to each side. And also through our partnership that we call Melaju, we are advancing sustainable infrastructure development between the UK and Indonesia", He said.

Martin Kent CMG, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific also said that Indonesia is UK's most important partner in Southeast Asia. "Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy and one of the UK's most important partners in the region. We are supporting Indonesia’s ambitions on sustainable infrastructure, transport, energy, and more. By combining British expertise with Indonesia's development priorities, we can support sustainable growth, strengthen connectivity, and deliver long-term benefits for both our countries.”