Indonesia–Russia relations

In the 19th century, Russian maritime expeditions started visiting the archipelago. In 1806, two sailing-ships, the Nadezhda and the Neva, under Ivan Krusenshtern and Yury Lisiansky, engaged in the first Russian circumnavigation of the earth, and approached the shores of Indonesia.

The fact that Russia paid much attention to maintaining contacts with the Indonesians was confirmed by the establishment, in 1894, of the first Russian full-time consulate in Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Somewhat earlier, in 1890, the Pamyat Azova and the Vladimir Monomakh, the ships on which Crown Prince Nicholas, the future Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, made his Eastern voyage, dropped anchor in the same harbour.[2]

Sukarno and Voroshilov in a state meeting on 1958.

The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with Indonesia in 1950 and is one of the very few countries to recognize Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands after the end of World War II.

Early in the Cold War, both countries had robust relations, with Indonesian president Sukarno visiting Moscow and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visiting Jakarta. The first military deal of Indonesia with Soviet Union happened in 1958, which was the import of GAZ-69 trucks.[3] In 1960, General Abdul Haris Nasution visited Moscow to negotiate an arms deal with USSR. It turned out to be a $2.5 billion deal, involving the purchase of Mil Mi-4, Mil Mi-6 helicopters and MiG 15, MiG-17, MiG 19, MiG-21, Ilyushin Il-28, Tupolev Tu-16 planes, and Whiskey-class submarines, Komar-class missile boats and one Sverdlov-class cruiser, AS-1 Kennel anti-ship missiles and Antonov An-12 and Ilyushin Il-14 transport planes. Soviet troops assisted Indonesia in Operation Trikora to recapture Dutch East Indies in 1961–62.

The USSR helped Indonesia to build the Friendship Hospital and the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, as well as transport and industrial infrastructure facilities that are in operation to this day. Great strides were made in military-technical cooperation.[4]

When Sukarno was overthrown by General Suharto, relations between the two states deteriorated, likely due to Indonesia's anti-communist policy under Suharto following the 1965 unrest and mass murder of thousands of leftists. However, unlike relations with China during Suharto's rule, diplomatic relations were not suspended and remained intact. During this time, Indonesia is also one of many countries that boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow. Relations had been reported to be deteriorated further during the early days of Suharto's presidency due to widespread ideological stigma, and Indonesia became increasingly pro-Western in foreign and economic relations at the time.

Following the 1979 Soviet–Afghan War, Indonesia's negative views of the Soviet Union significantly increased, with many Indonesians claiming it as a "communist crime against Muslims".

In 1989, President Suharto visited the Soviet Union for the first time.[5]

The USSR under Mikhail Gorbachev began to develop closer ties with Indonesia alongside other Southeast Asian countries, and relations between were improving once again since the formation of the modern-day Russian Federation.

President of Indonesia Joko Widodo with President Vladimir Putin 20 May 2016.

Under Boris Yeltsin and later Vladimir Putin, relations were generally stable and continued to the presenting for Fully Mutual cooperation to understanding between two countries to forging the Special relationship from the Presidency of Megawati Sukarnoputri until the present.

In 2000, Indonesia-Russia cooperation relations entered a new phase and experienced in a significant increase. President Abdurrahman Wahid, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Joko Widodo discussed cooperation between the two countries. In political field, the first meeting since the reform era in Indonesia and the Russian Federation era was carried out by President Abdurrahman Wahid and President Vladimir Putin, there was not much discussion produced. Meanwhile, Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2001 began to stretch Indonesia-Russia relations. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono discussed the follow-up in the purchase of Russian warplanes. President Joko Widodo and Russian President Vladimir Putin held limited meetings.[6]

Russia is a major arms supplier to Indonesia. Russian arms exports to Indonesia include the Sukhoi Su-30, Sukhoi Su-27, Mil Mi-35, BMP-3, Mil Mi-17, and Sukhoi Su-35.

Currently, Indonesian Marine Corps operated 54 BMP-3F & 1 BREM-L currently in service (17 BMP-3F arrived in 2010 and another 37 BMP-3F & 1 BREM-L were received in 2014).[11][12] Another 22 BMP-3F were ordered in 2019 along with 21 BT-3Fs.[13]

In 2014, Russia offered the Sukhoi Su-35 to Indonesia to replace its ageing F-5E Tiger II fleet. The following year, the Indonesian Ministry of Defence selected the Su-35 ahead of the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, F-16, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen; the Defence Ministry cited the Indonesian Air Force's familiarity with the Su-27SK and Su-30MK2 as the reason for its selection.[14] By 2017, negotiations between the two parties over the Su-35 had reached an advanced stage, with the Indonesian government later agreed in principle to conduct a barter trade of agricultural products for a reported eleven aircraft.[15] In February 2018, Russia and Indonesia finalised an contract for 11 aircraft, worth $1.14 billion.[16] The first delivery was expected in October 2018, but was delayed to 2019.[17] On 8 July 2020, Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Lyudmila Vorobieva stated that Indonesia's plan to buy 11 Su-35s from Russia is still continuing.[18]

On Desember 2020, Indonesian Navy and Russian Navy conducted a joint naval exercise of Passex (Passing Exercise) Rusindo-20. The exercise took place in the Java Sea on Thursday, 17 Desember 2020. Indonesian Navy sent 3 ships (KRI Karel Satsuitubun, KRI Diponegoro, and KRI Tombak), while the Russian Navy sent 3 ships (Varyag, Admiral Panteleyev, and Pechenga). The exercise conducted several drills such as Maneuver Exercise, RAS approach, Flaghoist, Flashex, and Passing Exercise.[19]

In the economic field In 2012 the value of Indonesian imports from Russia amounted to 2.5 billion US $, and Indonesia's export value to Russia amounted to 867.3 million US $, until 2016 the value of Indonesian imports from Russia was 850.6 million US $, and Indonesia's export value to Russia was 1.3 billion US $. There was a tendency to decrease the value of Russian imports to Indonesia, and the export value of Indonesia to Russia has increased.[20]

In the economic sector, the two countries are committed to advancing strategic investment and development projects in various sectors such as infrastructure, energy and transportation, which involve business, regional and people relations in both countries. The Indonesia-Russia Business Forum agreed on 13 economic cooperation in the fields of trade and investment as an effort to strengthen ties between the two countries. In the forum initiated by the Indonesian government in Moscow, it was noted that the cooperation with the highest score was achieved by PT Asia Starch International and PT Dredolf Indonesia worth US $1.10 billion.[21]

Facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia and Russia agreed to strengthen their joint commitment to increasing economic cooperation in the fields of trade, investment and industry. This agreement was reached by the two countries at the 4th Meeting of Indonesian – Russian Working Group on Trade, Investment and Industry (WGTII). The 4th Meeting of WGTII discussed various issues, opportunities and breakthroughs to reduce barriers to export / import trade; exploring cooperation in developing strategic industries and handling COVID-19, including cooperation on vaccines; and encouraging increased participation of the business and private sectors in investment projects between the two countries. Indonesia and Russia also agreed to provide support for the settlement of Joint Feasibility Study Group (JFSG) between Indonesia Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) nations as an effort to establish free trade agreement between Indonesia with the members of the EAEU.[22]