Ankara and Jakarta have strengthened their "strategic partnership" on Wednesday by signing 13 bilateral agreements to mark 75-year anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto for talks aimed at enhancing ties between the two Muslim-majority nations, while focused on current regional and global issues, particularly the war in Gaza.

Erdogan’s state visit to Jakarta was his second stop in a four-day visit that also includes Malaysia and Pakistan.

Indonesia and Turkey’s trade in 2024 was worth $2.4 billion, according to Indonesia’s trade ministry.

The signing ceremony, held in Bogor, followed a meeting of the first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and a joint press conference between the two leaders.

Defense cooperation

Among the key agreements was a groundbreaking deal in defence cooperation, which includes a joint production initiative for the Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI drones. As part of this collaboration, Turkish company Baykar Makina and Indonesian firm PT Republikorp have signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) to bolster Indonesia’s defense capabilities through the local production of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The agreement was signed by Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar and PT Republikorp Chairman Norman Joesoef, with the Minister of Defense of Indonesia, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and the Secretary of Turkish Defense Industries, Haluk Görgün, in attendance.

Indonesia and Türkiye have entered “a new era of strategic defence cooperation,” aiming to boost Indonesia’s aerospace sector and defence capabilities through the localization of UAV production, said PT Republikorp in its press-release.

According to the statement, the primary products to be localized include up to 60 sets of Bayraktar TB3 Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) and up to 9 sets of Bayraktar Akinci High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE). 

Bayraktar TB3, currently in the testing phase, is designed to operate from short runways and aircraft carriers such as the TCG Anadolu multipurpose amphibious assault ship.

The Akinci, a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UCAV, offers advanced payload capabilities and an extensive range of weapon integration.It can be used in air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missions as well.

Baykar will contribute its expertise in manufacturing, technology transfer, and training, while Republikorp will oversee regulatory compliance, infrastructure development, and the certification of local specialists.

“Collaboration with the Ministry of Defence will ensure that the UAVs produced are tailored to Indonesia’s strategic needs, including national security, territorial surveillance, and defence operations. This initiative underscores Indonesia’s commitment to advancing its national defence technology for the future,”- Indonesia's leading defence holding stated.

Cooperation in energy and mining 

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia signed an MoU to enhance collaboration in energy and natural resources.

The agreement aims to "develop cooperation across all areas of energy and mining, particularly in oil, natural gas, and renewable energy, between our countries," Bayraktar stated in a post on X.

"I hope this step, which will further strengthen the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Indonesia, will be beneficial," he added.

Bayraktar also held a meeting with Simon Aloysius Mantiri, Chairman of the Indonesian State Oil and Natural Gas Company Pertamina, to discuss cooperation and investment opportunities between Türkiye and Indonesia in the fields of oil, natural gas, and renewable energy, as well as potential joint projects with third countries.

Media and medical partnerships

Media collaboration was another cornerstone of the agreements. Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency and Indonesia’s state news agency Antara signed a cooperation agreement to enhance journalistic collaboration.

Similar accords were established between the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Indonesia’s public broadcasters, LPP RRI and TVRI, solidifying ties in radio and television content sharing.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono also signed an agreement focusing on cooperation in health and medical sciences, further broadening the scope of collaboration between the two countries.

These historic agreements reflect a shared vision for deeper economic, strategic, and cultural ties between Türkiye and Indonesia, marking a significant step toward an expanded partnership in the years to come.

The agreements also extended to agriculture, education, and religious affairs. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli and his Indonesian counterpart, Andi Amran Sulaiman, signed a deal on agricultural cooperation.

Meanwhile, an MoU between Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education and Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology was signed to boost academic exchanges and research collaboration.

Religious affairs cooperation received a boost with an agreement between Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, led by Ali Erbas, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, represented by Minister Nasaruddin Umar. The accord seeks to foster collaboration in religious services and education.

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