Islamabad (TDI): Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrives in Islamabad today for a two-day official visit aimed at deepening cooperation with Pakistan across trade, defense, investment, education, and other key sectors, the Pakistan foreign ministry announced on Sunday.
This is President Subianto’s first visit to Pakistan and the first by any Indonesian head of state since 2018. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials.
The trip also holds symbolic value as it coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Indonesia.
During his stay, President Subianto will hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will also meet President Asif Ali Zardari, as well as Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces.
According to the foreign ministry, both sides will discuss an extensive agenda covering trade expansion, investment opportunities, defense cooperation, health, IT, education, climate collaboration, cultural exchanges, and coordination at regional and international forums.
“Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit,” the statement said, adding that the engagements will help unlock new areas of cooperation between the two nations.
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Pakistan and Indonesia share a history of warm, longstanding ties rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and economic interdependence. The visit is therefore seen as an important opportunity to upgrade bilateral relations and pursue mutually beneficial partnerships.
From January to October 2025, trade between Indonesia and Pakistan totaled $3.3 billion, driven largely by Indonesian exports.
According to Indonesia’s Trade Ministry, shipments to Pakistan totaled $3.2 billion during this period, supported by a bilateral preferential trade agreement that has eased tariffs for more than a decade. Pakistan is also a major importer of Indonesian palm oil.
In earlier years, Pakistan had offered Indonesia the chance to co-produce the JF-17 multirole fighter jet, a 4.5-generation aircraft jointly built by Pakistan and China and exported to countries like Azerbaijan.
During his 2018 visit, former President Jokowi even inspected the JF-17 cockpit. It remains uncertain whether discussions on the aircraft will resume this time, although President Prabowo, a former army general, has shown interest in modernizing Indonesia’s air fleet.
Indonesia also hosts a small but active Pakistani community, many of whom run businesses including restaurants, carpet outlets, gemstone shops, textile trading, and herbal medicine stores.
President Subianto’s visit is expected to set the tone for stronger economic and strategic engagement between the two Muslim-majority nations as they explore new avenues of collaboration in an evolving regional landscape.
Minahil Khurshid holds a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies from NUST. She is passionate about current affairs, public policy, and geopolitics.
