Russian Envoy Pledges Stronger Cooperation With Indonesia

Jakarta Globe, Oct 22, 2014

Indonesian Navy ships at Batu Ampar Port in Batam, Riau Island province.
(Antara Photo/Joko Sulistyo)

Jakarta. The Russian envoy who made an official visit to attend the inauguration of Joko Widodo as Indonesia’s new president pledged for stronger economic cooperation between the two countries in a bid to boost trade and investment.

According to a statement from the Press Office of Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russian Federation, trade and investment between Russia and Indonesia is expected to reach up to $5 billion by 2016 from about $3 billion as of the end of last year.

“Both countries confirm interest in expansion into a new level of partnership between countries,” Russia said in the statement.

The statement adds that Joko emphasizes Indonesia is a maritime country and cooperation can help Indonesia to develop its maritime infrastructure.

Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov said Russia is eyeing for stronger cooperation in the area of shipbuilding, infrastructure construction, civil aviation and machinery.

The statement said Russian shipbuilder United Shipbuilding Corporation, along with more than 20 big Russian corporations, will participate in IndoDefense 2014 exhibition, which will take place in Jakarta in November.

Denis also confirmed plans of Moscow to supply up to 15 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ 100) aircraft to Southeast Asia’s largest economy within the next three years.

According to Tuesday’s report from Russian news agency RIA Novosti, under a deal signed in 2011, the Eastern European country agreed to supply 12 Sukhoi Superjet to Indonesian airline Sky Aviation. The contract was estimated at $380.4 million, RIA said.

Efforts to push the cooperation between the two countries had been made during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration.