Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto announced that Portuguese will soon be added to Indonesia's school curriculum, underscoring the country's deepening ties with Brazil.
"I will instruct the higher education and basic education ministers to begin teaching Portuguese in our schools," Prabowo said at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
"This is proof that we regard the relationship between Brazil and Indonesia as highly important."
The President's statement came during a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is in Indonesia for a state visit. Prabowo said the move reflects the strengthening partnership between the two nations.
During the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of four cooperation agreements between Indonesia and Brazil.
"When I last met President Lula in July, we agreed to accelerate collaboration. In just two months, August and September, we've made remarkable progress," Prabowo said.
He also announced that Indonesia and Brazil will soon begin drafting the Indonesia – Mercosur Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IM-CEPA), which is expected to bolster trade and economic growth for both nations.
"I believe this agreement will strengthen our partnership and help accelerate the economic growth of both countries, and the wider Latin American region," he added.
Prabowo described Indonesia and Brazil as emerging global economic powers, with a combined population of around 500 million people. He also highlighted that both nations are members of the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
Meanwhile, President Lula da Silva expressed his intention to renew and expand strategic cooperation with Indonesia, particularly in technology, education, and trade.
"I have come to renew our strategic partnership and establish new agreements – not only in bilateral trade but also in new sectors such as artificial intelligence, data centralization, and scientific and technological collaboration," Lula said.
He also emphasized the importance of building academic partnerships between universities in both countries and promoting balanced, mutually beneficial trade. "Indonesia is a strategic partner for Brazil," he said.
President Lula da Silva arrived in Jakarta on Wednesday evening, October 22, 2025, via Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base. His visit is a reciprocal trip following President Prabowo's state visit to Brasilia in July 2025.
According to the Presidential Secretariat, the visit aims to further strengthen strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Brazil across multiple sectors.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2059677/indonesias-prabowo-orders-portuguese-to-be-taught-in-school