Heru Andriyanto, London – Indonesia and the United Kingdom launched a new strategic partnership in London on Wednesday, marking a significant step forward in bilateral relations between the two countries.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of President Prabowo Subianto's official visit to the UK this week, during which he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"The new UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership is founded on our shared values as sovereign democracies, including respect for human rights and commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is grounded in the principles of mutual respect, cooperation, and sovereignty," the joint statement said.
"While led by our governments, it brings together the whole of our societies – including our businesses, our academic, civil society and cultural organizations, and our people," it added.
As part of the partnership, UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle and Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto signed an Economic Growth Partnership aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment.
The agreement focuses on priority sectors including clean energy, the digital economy, infrastructure, transport, education, and healthcare. It is expected to reduce barriers to market access, support exports, create jobs, and drive stronger two-way investment flows.
The two countries also committed to strengthening people-to-people ties, with the British Council promoting expanded cooperation in education, English-language training, and cultural exchange.
At a roundtable attended by President Prabowo and UK university leaders, the UK's International Education Champion Steve Smith was appointed Special Adviser to a new education taskforce, and the UK – Indonesia University Network was officially launched.
The partnership also includes ambitions to train 300,000 English teachers in Indonesia and to agree memorandums of understanding to strengthen collaboration in the cultural and creative economy. Indonesia has been identified as one of the UK's top five priority countries for overseas education engagement.
"This new UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership marks a major milestone in our long-standing relationship – working together for a future that is more prosperous, secure, and sustainable for people in both countries," Dominic Jermey, the British ambassador to Indonesia, said in a statement.