Russia and Indonesia are working on organising a joint pilot voyage along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2027. This is stated in a press release on the Russian government’s website following a meeting between Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.
The development of international logistics routes, including the use of the NSR, was one of the key topics on the agenda during Denis Manturov’s working visit to Indonesia. Plans for a joint pilot voyage between the two countries are being drawn up to assess the efficiency of transit shipments.
Denis Manturov and Airlangga Hartarto discussed a wide range of issues relating to bilateral cooperation, paying particular attention to the areas of trade, investment and finance, industry and energy.
“Indonesia and Russia possess great potential to strengthen mutually beneficial economic cooperation. We are committed to encouraging increased trade and investment, expanding partnerships between business actors, and ensuring that cooperation opportunities lead to concrete benefits for both countries,” said Airlangga Hartarto, as quoted by ANTARA.
The parties discussed progress on the free trade agreement between Indonesia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which was signed on 21 December 2025. The ratification process is nearing completion. The agreement will expand market access for leading Indonesian goods and strengthen trade ties with EAEU member states. Among the Indonesian goods that may gain wider market access thanks to the agreement are palm oil, coffee, cocoa, textiles and furniture.
Airlangga Hartarto and Denis Manturov discussed prospects for cooperation in strategic sectors, particularly shipbuilding and the aviation industry, as well as opportunities to build up national industrial capacity.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs noted that by the end of 2025, trade turnover between Indonesia and Russia had reached US$4.84 billion, an increase of 21.6 per cent compared with the previous year, when it stood at US$3.98 billion. The main commodities traded between the two countries include palm oil, coffee, cocoa, agricultural produce and fertilisers.