Indonesia, Pakistan deepen strategic partnership as Prabowo concludes Islamabad visit

ISLAMABAD: Indonesia and Pakistan agreed to widen cooperation across political, economic and security spheres as President Prabowo Subianto concluded a two-day visit to Islamabad, according to a joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

The statement said President Prabowo visited Pakistan on Dec 8-9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

During the trip, he held delegation-level talks with the prime minister, met President Asif Ali Zardari and was called on by Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The Indonesian leader was also awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the country’s highest civilian honor.

According to the joint statement, the visit held “special significance” as both countries marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

It said the two sides reaffirmed their resolve to build on historic relations and adopt a “forward-looking approach” to deepen cooperation across political, diplomatic, economic, trade, defense, cultural, educational, scientific and health sectors.

The Foreign Office noted that both sides reviewed bilateral trade, now exceeding $4 billion, and agreed to accelerate talks to elevate the Pakistan–Indonesia Preferential Trade Agreement into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by 2027.

The statement added that both governments would work to improve market access, remove non-tariff barriers and expand cooperation in IT, cybersecurity, fintech, Islamic finance and the halal industry.

Joint investment opportunities would also be explored through Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council and Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Defense collaboration would be strengthened through enhanced military exchanges, defense industry cooperation and expanded maritime and aviation training, the statement said.

It added that both sides reaffirmed cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism and narcotics trafficking.

The joint statement reported that health cooperation would include digital health, pharmaceuticals, vaccine-related capacity, medical devices and emergency preparedness.

It said both governments would also increase engagement on climate resilience, disaster management and sustainable tourism, alongside expanding student exchanges, academic collaboration and technical and vocational training.

The two sides discussed regional and global developments, with the statement noting that Pakistan briefed Indonesia on Jammu and Kashmir.

It said both countries expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Palestine and reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution, adding that they welcomed ongoing diplomatic coordination on Gaza.

The Foreign Office confirmed that several agreements and MoUs were signed, including those related to higher-education degree recognition, scholarships, SME cooperation, national archives, health collaboration, anti-narcotics efforts, halal certification and library and information management.

President Prabowo “expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality” extended by Pakistan, the statement said.

Separately, Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir also called on President Subianto, where the pair discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security, and bilateral defense cooperation.

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations said that “both sides reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen existing ties between the armed forces of the two brotherly countries.”

The president appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistani army, acknowledging the country’s role in promoting regional peace and stability.

CDF Munir also reiterated that Pakistan valued its longstanding relations with Indonesia and was committed to expanding defense collaboration in training, counter-terrorism, and capacity-building domains.