Russian President Vladimir Putin informed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday (Dec 10) that Moscow was happy with the emerging military relationship between the two nations and was willing to assist Jakarta in the area of nuclear energy.
It was during this visit that Putin, who received Prabowo in the Kremlin, claimed that he also wished to discuss an estimated minor reduction this year in the quantity of Russian wheat being exported to Indonesia.
This marked the second occasion that the two have met this year in Russia, with Putin wooing the leader of the fourth most populous nation in the world, a move that is a part and parcel of establishing stronger ties with the Global South, with his economy still under Western sanctions due to the war in Ukraine.
In televised talks between the two leaders, Prabowo praised the fact that relations were excellent. In the case of Putin visiting India last week, he invited him to visit Indonesia at his convenience in 2026 or 2027.
Russia has been constructing nuclear power plants in several countries, and Putin informed Prabowo, “In case you want to bring our experts on board, we are always available to you.
In 2011, Indonesia indicated that it would like to have its first nuclear power plant in 2032, with a 500 MW capacity, and would bring it online by the next decade.”
Putin also announced in agriculture that Indonesia had a minor surplus trade with Russia.
“We have no grievances; we are prepared to find methods of extending our relations in this line,” he said. “I feel that there has been a slight reduction in the quantity of wheat that is supplied to your market. This shall also be a point of our conversation today.”
The largest exporter of wheat in the world, Russia, returned to the Indonesian market in October, after a shipment break since January because of the talks between the two nations regarding the Russian grains’ entry to the Indonesian market.
According to a report by the agricultural safety watchdog of Russia, the Quarantine Agency of Indonesia in August agreed to renew Russian grain safety certificates that would facilitate the importation of 52,000 metric tons of wheat in October.
The Agriculture export agency (Agroexport) of Russia projected grain exports to Indonesia at 1.3 million tons in 2024, the majority of which was wheat. It stated that in the current year, Russia had previously made available only 123,000 tons of grain, and this was all in January, when the new arrangement was not in existence.
Russia is aiming at diversifying wheat export to Asia among its traditional partners in the Middle East, but will have to contend with stiff competition from the United States of America, where supplies are bound to increase as a result of trade deals involving the Asian nations.
Prabowo has upheld a non-aligned foreign policy in Indonesia, claiming to be a friend of any nation, even of Russia or the United States. He has claimed that Indonesia is not going to join any military bloc.
Russia has complimented the so-called balanced stance of Indonesia in the war in Ukraine. In November 2024, Russia and Indonesia had the first joint naval exercises in the Java Sea.
“Military relations are evolving and are on a good professional co-operation level,” Putin said. “Indonesian experts are continuously being trained in our universities, both in military academies”
