April 16, 2025
JAKARTA – Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Tuesday, according to local television reports.
Multiple television channels on Tuesday broadcast live views from the meeting between Prabowo and Manturov at the Presidential Palace. Prabowo was joined by Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto during the meeting.
Earlier on Monday, Manturov made a joint appearance with Airlangga at the Russia-Indonesia Business Forum during which the two senior officials pledged to expand cooperation on health, tourism, technology and education.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Airlangga said that Jakarta is keen on broadening the geography of flights and boosting their frequency between Indonesia and Russia.
“We encourage cooperation, including direct flights from Moscow to Bali,” Airlangga said, adding that there are five more tourist destinations that the two countries can further connect through air transportation.
Airlangga also highlighted the importance of launching direct flights between Jakarta and Moscow, which will strengthen business ties between the countries. The Indonesian side has already discussed the prospects of expanding air service with Manturov, Airlangga Hartarto said.
In late July, Prabowo travelled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pledged that his upcoming administration would maintain ties with its “great friend” Russia, adding that he hoped for stronger cooperation on defense, energy and education.
The trip to Moscow comes months after Prabowo went to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping to affirm Indonesia’s “policy of friendship” with China.
The meeting between Manturov and Prabowo on Tuesday happened as Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his government has asked Indonesia about a report in defense publication Janes indicating that Russia has requested basing military aircraft in Papua.
“We obviously do not want to see Russian influence in our region,” Albanese told reporters.
Janes reported that Jakarta has received an official request from Moscow, seeking permission for Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft to be based at a facility in Papua.
Papua is about 1,200 km north of the Australian city of Darwin, where a United States Marines Corp rotational force is based for six months of the year and Australian air bases are being upgraded to host visiting US bombers.
Australia is “seeking further clarification” with Indonesia about the report, Albanese said, adding that Canberra has a good relationship with Jakarta.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles has spoken to his Indonesian counterpart who said there would be no Russian air force planes based in Indonesia, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Roy Soemirat said the ministry has not heard of the report.
The Defense Ministry and military spokespeople did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said “Indonesia is critical for Australian security” and the two countries had struck a defense cooperation agreement last year, she said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said during a campaign stop that the report was concerning and he is seeking a briefing from the Australian government on the issue.