RUSSIAN-INDONESIAN RELATIONS

The Soviet Union and the Republic of Indonesia established diplomatic relations on February 3, 1950. On December 28, 1991, the Government of Indonesia recognised the Russian Federation as the Soviet Union’s legal successor.

On April 21, 2003, President of Indonesia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megawati_Sukarnoputri" title="">Megawati Sukarnoputri paid a visit to Russia, with both sides signing the Declaration on the Foundations of Friendly and Partner Relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia in the 21^st Century.

In 2006, President of Indonesia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susilo_Bambang_Yudhoyono" title="">Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Russia, with President Vladimir Putin visiting Indonesia in 2007. Russian and Indonesian heads of state maintained bilateral contacts on the sidelines of the APEC summit (Honolulu in 2011, Vladivostok in 2012, Bali, Indonesia, in 2013 and Beijing in 2014), as well as during the 2012 G20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico.

On July 25, 2014, President Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to Joko Widodo congratulating him on his victory in the Indonesian presidential elections. Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov represented Russia during the October 20, 2014 inauguration of President of Indonesia Joko Widodo.

In February 2015, national presidents and foreign ministers exchanged messages of greetings in connection with the 65^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

On May 18−20, 2016, President of Indonesia Joko Widodo paid a working visit to Sochi, Russia. During the visit, President Vladimir Putin held talks with Joko Widodo. The President of Indonesia also attended the anniversary Russia-ASEAN summit.

In April 2015, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich attended the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Jakarta. In August 2015, talks between Arkady Dvorkovich and Indonesia’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti took place in Moscow.

In March 2016, Arkady Dvorkovich had a meeting with Vice President of Indonesia Jusuf Kalla in China on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia.

Both countries maintain close inter-parliamentary ties. In 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzuki_Alie" title="Marzuki Alie">Marzuki Alie, Speaker of the People's Representative Council, the lower house of the Indonesian Parliament, visited Russia. In May 2013, Irman Gusman, Speaker of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Council" title="Regional Representative Council">Regional Representative Council, the upper house of parliament, visited Russia. In September 2013, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidarto_Danusubroto" title="Sidarto Danusubroto">Sidarto Danusubroto, Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Indonesia, visited Russia.

In November 2014, Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian Federal Assembly (Parliament), paid an official visit to Indonesia. In October 2015, Irman Gusman visited Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In June 2015, a delegation from the Indonesian Parliament’s People's Representative Council headed by Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon visited Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In March 2016, First Deputy Federation Council Speaker Nikolai Fyodorov visited Indonesia.

On April 19−20, 2016, Agus Hermanto, Deputy Speaker of the People's Representative Council, represented Indonesia at the First Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP) in Moscow.

Between July 14−17, 2017, Deputy Federation Council Speaker Ilyas Umakhanov visited Jakarta and had meeting with Zulkifli Hasan, Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly, Oesman Sapta Odang, Speaker of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Council" title="Regional Representative Council">Regional Representative Council, Fadli Zon, Deputy Speaker of the People's Representative Council, Indonesia’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti and Prabowo Subianto, leader of the main opposition party, Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra).

In January 2015, the Federation Council established a group for cooperation with Indonesia’s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Council" title="Regional Representative Council">Regional Representative Council, with the Indonesian side creating a similar group for cooperation with the Federation Council. The State Duma has also established a parliamentary group for maintaining contacts with the parliaments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. In turn, a group for friendship and cooperation with Russia was formed at the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Representative_Council" title="Regional Representative Council">National Representative Council.

In August 2015, Jakarta hosted the 35^th session of the Chiefs of ASEAN Police  (ASEANAPOL). Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev attended the session and held bilateral meetings with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Security Tedjo Edy Purdijatno and Indonesian National Police Chief Badrodin Khaiti.

Both countries’ judicial agencies also maintain contacts. On October 23−24, 2015, Indonesian Supreme Court Chief Justice Muhammad Hatta Ali visited Russia. On March 16−17, Russian Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev visited Jakarta.

On November 12−14, 2014, the Indonesian Constitutional Court’s Chief Justice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamdan_Zoelva" title="Hamdan Zoelva">Hamdan Zoelva visited St Petersburg, with both sides signing a memorandum for cooperation between the national constitutional courts. On April 22, 2016, Russian Constitutional Court Chairman Valery Zorkin had a meeting with the Indonesian Constitutional Court’s Chief Justice Arief Hidayat.

National foreign ministries maintain regular dialogue. In 2010, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa visited Moscow. In August 2015, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had a conversation on the sidelines of ASEAN events held in Kuala Lumpur. On August 8−9, 2017, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Indonesia. During his visit, both sides signed a plan of consultations between Russian and Indonesian foreign ministries for 2017−2019. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh. Sergey Lavrov attended a ceremony for the opening of the Russian Federation’s permanent mission to ASEAN in Jakarta.

In December 2014, Moscow hosted consultations between national foreign ministries on multilateral cooperation. Jakarta and Moscow also hosted consultations between national deputy foreign ministers on bilateral cooperation matters in February 2015 and April 2017, respectively.

Inter-regional exchanges continue to develop. In May 2013, a delegation of businessmen from Tatarstan headed by President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov visited Jakarta. The sides signed a memorandum of understanding between chambers of commerce and industry of Tatarstan and Indonesia. In November 2014, a delegation from West Sumatra Province headed by Governor Irwan Prayitno visited Kazan. In December 2014, representatives of South Sulawesi Province headed by Mayor of Makassar Mohammad Ramdhan Pomanto visited the city of Oryol. In September 2015, Awang Faroek Ishak, the Governor of East Kalimantan Province, came to Moscow.

The fight against international terrorism is an important area of bilateral cooperation. In 2007, the countries signed an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding on cooperation in combating terrorism that came into force in 2010. Under the memorandum, a Russian-Indonesian working group to combat international terrorism was established in November 2010. In March 2012, Bali Island hosted the group’s second meeting. On January 29, 2016, Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov and Saud Usman Nasution, Chief of Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency, chaired the group’s third meeting in Moscow.

In July 2012, the sides signed a cooperation agreement between the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service and the Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center. The document aims to combat money-laundering operations and the financing of terrorism.

According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, the 2016 trade turnover totaled $2.6 billion in 2016 ($1.96 billion in 2015), exports and imports totaled $403 million and $2.2 billion, respectively. Between January and May 2017, bilateral trade volumes increased by 15 percent and reached $1 billion, with Russian exports and imports totaling $212 million (up 49 percent) and $810 million (up 8 percent), respectively.

In 2016, Russia mostly exported chemicals (37%) to Indonesia, as well as minerals (29.5 percent), metals and metalware (10.6 percent), foods and agricultural feedstock (8.4 percent), as well as timber and pulp-and-paper goods (7.4 percent). Russia mostly imported machinery, equipment and transport vehicles (42 percent), foods and agricultural feedstock (37.6 percent), textiles and textile goods (8.2 percent), chemicals and rubber (7.9 percent).

In 2016, Russia was in 38^th place among foreign investors and channeled $5.5 million in 32 projects, according to the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board.

The Russian-Indonesia Joint Commission for Trade and Economic and Technical Cooperation was established in 2002. Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov heads its Russian section since October 2014 and Darmin Nasution, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of Indonesia, heads the Commission’s Indonesian section since August 2015. On October 31, 2016, Jakarta hosted the Commission’s 11^th meeting, and Moscow is to host its 12^th meeting in October 2017. The commission has the following working groups: industry and investment, energy, transportation and infrastructure, contractual-legal framework of bilateral cooperation, and cultural and tourist exchanges.

The sides are working on joint projects in infrastructure construction, energy, production and processing of minerals, civil aviation as well as machinery and equipment deliveries.

In February 2012, the sides signed a memorandum of understanding between the administration of East Kalimantan Province and Kereta Api Borneo, a special projects company, representing the interests of railway giant Russian Railways (RZhD). The document stipulated the construction of a 190-kms long railway as well as industrial and port infrastructure facilities on the island. In November 2015, President Joko Widodo attended a ceremony of opening a railway line on Kalimantan Island.

In June 2016, Russian Railways and state-owned company Kereta Api Indonesia signed a cooperation agreement.

In October 2016, Russian Railways President Oleg Belozerov met with top managers of specialised Indonesian state companies and agencies in Jakarta to discuss prospects for the implementation of the above-mentioned project. Russian Railways was also ready to build and upgrade railways in the East Java and North Sumatra provinces.

Leading global aluminium producer RUSAL also operates on the Indonesian market. In February 2014, its representatives signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s Arbaya Energy Co. that stipulates the joint development of bauxite deposits and alumina production in West Kalimantan.

The fuel and energy sector remains a promising cooperation venue. In 2006, Russia and Indonesia signed an intergovernmental cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy. This document entered into force in 2011. Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation is studying various options for Russian involvement in the creation of the Indonesian nuclear power industry. In June 2014, Djarot Wisnubroto, Chairman of the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), visited Moscow. In June 2015, Rosatom and BATAN signed a cooperation memorandum in Moscow.

Work continues to develop a low-capacity multifunctional experimental energy reactor in Serpong, Banten Province. In January 2017, an Indonesian nuclear energy oversight agency authorised the use of a site, selected by Rosatom, for building this facility.

In May 2016, representatives of Russian Rosneft and Pertamina Co. met in Jakarta and signed a framework cooperation agreement for building a refinery and a petrochemical facility in Tuban, East Java Province.

Under a May 2016 strategic partnership agreement between Inter RAO Export and Indonesia’s Trans-Asia Minerals Limited, there are plans to invest about $2.8 billion in

the construction of a coal-fired thermal power station in East Kalimantan Province and to upgrade an operational coal-fired thermal power station in Sumatra Island.

In 2000, a Russian launch vehicle orbited Indonesia’s Garuda-1 communications satellite. An intergovernmental agreement on exploring and using outer space for peaceful purposes entered into force in 2010.

In February 2017, the Intersputnik International Organisation of Space Communications and Universal Satellite Indonesia signed an agreement on the joint use of the Intersputnik-103E-F satellite network’s frequencies in orbits passing at 103 degrees eastern longitude.

In late July 2017, Russia’s Security Exports Association sent a specialised business mission that included leading national ICT companies to Indonesia. The mission’s members met with CEOs of Indonesian state agencies responsible for the digital economy’s development and security, as well as national companies specialising in this area.

The Russia-Indonesia Business Council was established in November 2009. It is currently headed by Geo Spectrum Group Director General Mikhail Kuritsyn.

Both sides continue to expand their cooperation in the field of communications and mass media. In March and November 2015, a delegation of Russian media outlets headed by Deputy Minister of Communications and Mass Media Alexey Volin visited Indonesia. In August 2016, an Indonesian delegation headed by H. Subiakto, an adviser on communications and media outlets to the Minister of Communication and Informatics, visited Moscow.

In 2004−2005, Russia took part in cleanup and disaster relief operations after devastating tsunamis and earthquakes. In 2006 and 2015, Russia helped put out forest fires in the Kalimantan and Sumatra islands. In 2009, the Russian side helped conduct cleanup and search-and-rescue operations for survivors after a series of powerful earthquakes hit Sumatra Island.

In January 2015, a combined 72-strong team of the Russian Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief took part in a search-and-rescue operation in the Java Sea after an Air Asia passenger plane crash on December 28, 2014.

In 2009, Indonesia hosted the Days of Russian Culture, with the Russian Federation hosting the Days of Indonesian Culture in 2010. The latter event was timed to coincide with the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Indonesian performers regularly attend the Krasnoyarsk International Music Festival of Asia Pacific Countries. On August 20−21, 2016, Moscow hosted the Festival of Indonesian Culture. Indonesian Cuisine Week took place between March 3 and 7, 2017. On August 4−6, 2017, Moscow hosted the Second Festival of Indonesian Culture.

161 Indonesian students will be given free tuition at Russian universities during the 2017/2018 academic year.

In 2007, Moscow and Jakarta established twin city relations.

As of June 2015, Indonesian authorities allowed Russian citizens to stay in the country visa-free for up to 30 days.

About 65,000 Russian citizens visited Indonesia during 2016.

The Russian Centre of Science and Culture has been functioning in Jakarta since 1965.