Prabowo's meeting with Putin reflects RI's foreign policy: House

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A senior lawmaker stated that President-elect Prabowo Subianto's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin has proven Indonesia's consistency in its free and active foreign policy in the midst of a complex global landscape.

Meutya Hafid, head of the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission I Overseeing Defense, Foreign and Information Affairs, stated that Prabowo's recent visit to Moscow has also "shown Indonesia's good neighbor policy".

The good neighbor policy prioritizes endeavors to maintain Indonesia's sound relations with every friendly country and to ensure its free and active foreign policy, she told journalists here on Thursday.

As reported earlier, Prabowo, concurrently defense minister in the Joko Widodo and Ma'ruf Amin administration, met with President Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, July 31.

During their meeting lasting for about 30 minutes, Prabowo and Putin shared a common ground for strengthening both nations' bilateral relations and cooperation.

Prabowo, who will be officially inaugurated as Indonesia's eighth president on October 20, 2024, also informed Putin of his priority agendas during his five-year leadership term.

The agendas include strengthening Indonesia's food and energy securities as well as significantly increasing the number of medical doctors and scholarship schemes for Indonesian students studying abroad.

In this regard, Probowo informed Putin of his interest in sending Indonesian students to reputable Russian universities and cooperating with Russia to develop Indonesia's nuclear power-generated electricity.

Meanwhile, President Putin acknowledged that the relations between Russia and Indonesia are currently sound, as reflected by the two countries' economic, trade, educational, and socio-cultural cooperation.

Putin also expressed hope that the rounds of the Indonesia-EAEU Free Trade Agreement (I-EAEU FTA) negotiations would immediately be completed to strengthen both nations' trade relations.

In response to the positive tone of Prabowo and Putin's talks during their meeting in Moscow, Meutya Hafid said she welcomed the two leaders' points of discussion.

Hafid also supports Prabowo's plan to explore opportunities to intensify Indonesia's cooperation with Russia in the defense sector, including a transfer of technology that may help Indonesia reduce its dependence on foreign countries' primary weaponry defense system (alutsista).

"We know that the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) still uses Sukhoi Su-27/30 aircraft. If Russia allows a transfer of technology, it will reduce our dependencies on the alutsista of other countries," she stated.

Hafid believes the transfer of technology would also help Indonesia's defense industries develop stronger self-esteem.