Türkiye and Indonesia strengthen strategic partnership in Ankara Forum

Türkiye and Indonesia have moved to strengthen their strategic partnership during a high-level forum in Ankara commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two G20 nations. The Türkiye-Indonesia Partnership Forum, organized by the SETA think-tank, brought together diplomats, academics, and officials to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation across multiple sectors.

Economic and Strategic Cooperation

Turkish Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tuzcu described the forum as "a new milestone" in bilateral relations, noting that both economies have demonstrated strong resilience despite global economic challenges. He emphasized Indonesia's position as ASEAN's largest economy and its progress toward becoming a regional hub. Indonesian Consul General in Istanbul Darianto Harsono highlighted emerging opportunities in green energy, digital transformation, and defense cooperation, pointing to the complementary nature of Indonesia's natural resources and Türkiye's technological capabilities.

High-Level Diplomatic Engagement

Korkut Gungen, Acting Director General for Bilateral Political Affairs at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, characterized the relationship as one between "two friendly strategic partners" collaborating through multilateral platforms including the G20 and Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He referenced recent reciprocal visits by Presidents Erdoğan and Subianto as evidence of deepening engagement. "Indonesia lies at the heart of sea routes. Our goal is for Indonesia to become an even stronger dialogue partner for Türkiye," Gungen stated, noting Türkiye's participation in Indonesia's defense fair with 25 companies.

Shared Values and Future Prospects

Despite geographical distance, officials emphasized the strong cultural and historical affinities between the two Muslim-majority nations. "Although geographically distant, our values are shared, and our histories are built on the same ideas and ideals. Mutual trust and friendship go far beyond diplomacy," Gungen added. Indonesian academic Prof. Anak Agung Banyu Perwita suggested the countries could develop new high-level diplomatic mechanisms, while acknowledging that military modernization has become an inevitable component of the bilateral relationship.