Türkiye and Indonesia solidified their strategic partnership on Wednesday by signing 13 bilateral agreements spanning defence, media, and other key sectors.
The signing ceremony, held in Bogor, followed a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and a joint press conference featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Among the agreements was a groundbreaking deal in defence cooperation, including a joint production initiative for Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI drones.
The agreement, signed between Turkish defence firm Baykar and Indonesia’s Republikorp, underscores the deepening military collaboration between the two nations.
In a significant move to bolster its defence capabilities, Indonesia has placed a substantial order for Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) from Türkiye.
Simultaneously, a joint venture agreement was formalised between Baykar and Republikorp to enhance domestic defence production. Signed by Baykar General Manager Haluk Bayraktar, the agreement reinforces both countries’ commitment to technology transfer and industrial cooperation.
This deal marks another major international expansion for Baykar.
Baykar was recently in the spotlight after its acquisition of Italy’s aviation company Piaggio Aerospace—a move that made waves across Europe.
As part of its strategy, Baykar and Republikorp have agreed to establish a UAV manufacturing facility in Indonesia. The new factory aims to strengthen Indonesia’s domestic defence industry and enhance its technological capabilities in unmanned aerial vehicle production.
“We look forward to this partnership, as Türkiye brings a wealth of know-how in aerospace technology and UAV deployment, which will be invaluable for Indonesia’s defence capabilities,” a Turkish official, who chose to remain anonymous, tells TRT World.
The official expressed optimism about the joint venture, emphasising Türkiye’s technological expertise, knowledge transfer, and extensive experience in UAV airspace operations and education.
The trade and investment sector also saw significant progress. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in industrial development was signed by Türkiye’s Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir and Indonesia’s Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita.
Additionally, a letter of intent to promote and facilitate investments between the two governments was formalised by Kacir and Indonesia’s Minister of Investment and Raw Material Processing, Rosan Perkasa Roeslani.
Energy cooperation and academic collaboration
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia signed an MoU to strengthen collaboration in energy and natural resources.
The agreements also extended to agriculture, education, and religious affairs. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli and his Indonesian counterpart, Andi Amran Sulaiman, signed a deal on agricultural cooperation.
Meanwhile, an MoU between Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education and Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology was signed to boost academic exchanges and research collaboration.
Religious affairs cooperation received a boost with an agreement between Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, led by Ali Erbas, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, represented by Minister Nasaruddin Umar. The accord seeks to foster collaboration in religious services and education.
Media and medical partnerships
Media collaboration was another cornerstone of the agreements. Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency and Indonesia’s state news agency Antara signed a cooperation agreement to enhance journalistic collaboration.
Similar accords were established between the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Indonesia’s public broadcasters, LPP RRI and TVRI, solidifying ties in radio and television content sharing.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono also signed an agreement focusing on cooperation in health and medical sciences, further broadening the scope of collaboration between the two countries.
These historic agreements reflect a shared vision for deeper economic, strategic, and cultural ties between Türkiye and Indonesia, marking a significant step toward an expanded partnership in the years to come.
➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
