Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat, 16 June 2025

President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong for the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat on 16 June 2025 in Singapore. It was their first Leaders’ Retreat in their current capacities.

Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo noted that all three agreements under the Expanded Framework Agreements were in effect, one year since they entered into force on 21 March 2024. The Defence Cooperation Agreement has unlocked new opportunities for our armed forces to train and work together. The Joint Update on Defence Cooperation between Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing, and Indonesian Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, takes stock of this and highlights new areas of collaboration for the year ahead.

The Leaders commended the successful implementation of the Agreement on the Realignment of the Boundary between the Jakarta Flight Information Region (FIR) and the Singapore FIR, including the stationing of Indonesian Civil-Military Cooperation in Air Traffic Management personnel at the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre. The first case under the Treaty for the Extradition of Fugitives is currently before the Singapore Courts, and the legal agencies of the two countries are working closely to ensure that the case proceeds expeditiously in accordance with due process. The Leaders agreed that the smooth implementation of all three agreements demonstrate that Singapore and Indonesia can address complicated issues in a pragmatic and mutually beneficial manner when we commit to working together in a spirit of friendship and openness.

Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo welcomed the Joint Report to the Leaders on the Six Bilateral Working Groups by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. The economic relationship is robust, with Foreign Direct Investment from Singapore to Indonesia amounting to US$20.1 billion in 2024. The Leaders took stock of the substantive progress made in Batam, Bintan and Karimun and other Special Economic Zones; Investment; Manpower; Transport; Agri-business; and Tourism, and charted out new priority areas for further collaboration.

In the green economy, the Leaders witnessed the exchange of three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on Cross-Border Electricity Trade; Cross-Border Carbon Capture and Storage; and the Sustainable Industrial Zone, between Minister for Manpower, and Minister-in-charge of Energy, Science and Technology Dr Tan See Leng, and Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Bahlil Lahadalia. The Leaders expressed confidence that the agreements would facilitate both countries’ energy transitions in a sustainable and resilient manner and help unlock the enormous green potential in the region. The Leaders also participated in a Milestone Ceremony on Project Development, which represents both countries' shared commitment to support the various decarbonisation projects that will serve to realise the ambitions of the three MOUs. They agreed that the interconnection between the two countries would be a key building block in the ASEAN Power Grid.

Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo welcomed the fresh commitments by Singapore and Indonesian companies to jointly invest in projects in a diverse range of sectors. This includes the launch of the Ciputra SMG Curie Cancer Centre in Surabaya; the commissioning of the Nusantara Sembcorp Solar Energy Power Plant in Nusantara Capital City; and a joint venture by Sembcorp and Panbil Group to jointly develop two new low-carbon industrial parks in Batam. The Leaders further noted that the MOU on Mutual Recognition of Halal Certification between the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) and the Indonesian Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency signed on 8 August 2024 had facilitated the trade of halal products between the two countries.

In the financial sector, the Leaders welcomed the further extension of the Bilateral Financial Arrangement between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank Indonesia which reflects a shared commitment to preserve monetary and financial stability in both countries amid global macroeconomic uncertainties. They also expressed their support for the ongoing cooperation in capital market connectivity, including stock market and depository receipt connectivity initiatives.

In the area of food security, Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo witnessed the signing of the MOU on Food Safety and Agriculture Technology between Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, and Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman. To complement this agreement, the Singapore Government will fund a Young Farmers Development Programme to facilitate the exchange of best practices between the local farming ecosystem and aspiring Indonesian farmers. The Leaders expressed hope that these initiatives would contribute to the level of productivity, nutrition and food resilience in both countries. 

Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo agreed that the partnership between the two countries is anchored on friendship and people-to-people ties. To this end, they welcomed and further encouraged the energetic exchanges between our youths through school partnerships at all levels of education. The Leaders looked forward to the continued progress of the Youth Mobility Programme, which will facilitate cross-border internship opportunities for 300 Singaporean and Indonesian tertiary students each year. The Leaders expressed confidence that the launch of flights from Singapore to new destinations in Indonesia such as Padang and Kertajati would provide more connectivity and connections between our people.

At the government-to-government level, Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo welcomed the robust exchanges between officials, including through the extension of three agreements: the MOU Concerning Cooperation on Human Resources Development of the Government Officers in the Maritime Field between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation; the MOU on Cooperation between Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office; and the MOU Cooperation in the Field of Library and Information Management between the National Library Board and the National Library of Indonesia. 

Prime Minister Wong and President Prabowo also exchanged views on regional and global developments. They reiterated their commitment to fostering stronger collaboration on the multilateral front, for the benefit of our region. The Leaders agreed on the need to deepen internal integration within ASEAN and engagements with its external partners, so that ASEAN can continue to thrive and grow. Prime Minister Wong also expressed support for Indonesia’s bid to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

.     .     .     .     .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

16 JUNE 2025