Trade and Economic Relations with the Republic of Indonesia

Bilateral trade between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Indonesia

(U.S. $ million)

Belarusian exports to Indonesia in 2018 are mainly formed by potash fertilizers, heavy-duty vehicles, tires, polyamides, medical furniture, instruments and devices used in medicine, equipment, etc. The main imports to Belarus are amino compounds, processed fish, optic fiber, printing equipment, bearings, paper, pharmaceuticals, natural rubber, clothes, dyes, palm and coconut oils, cocoa, etc. In general Indonesian exports to Belarus include more than 230 commodity items.Trade and economic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Indonesia are characterized by rapid development. Trade turnover rose from 1.8 million dollars in 1995 to the record amount of 257.7 million in 2017.

In 2012 Belarus started the sales of heavy-duty vehicles to Indonesia, in 2013 – agricultural tractors, in 2014 – caprolactam and polyamide, in 2015 –high-tech X-ray and demonstration equipment, in 2016 – petroleum products, medical equipment, wooden sleepers, in 2019 — dairy products, in 2020 — cellulose, in 2021 — plywood, flour.

In the years 2012-2018 73 units of BelAZ dump trucks were delivered to the biggest mining companies in Indonesia. An Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation has been established. The Chairman of the Belarusian Part of the Commission – the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, the Chairman of the Indonesian Part – the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia (Deputy Minister). The First Session of the Commission was held in Minsk in February, 2008.

The Second Session of the Commission was held on November 11, 2009 in Jakarta. The Belarusian delegation was headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Sergei Aleinik. The delegation included representatives of the Ministries of Industry, Justice, Belarus CCI, BelAZ JSC, Belarusian Potash Company CJSC, Belshina JSC. A Business Forum was held on the margins of the Intergovernmental Commission.

The Third Session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Commission was held in Minsk on September 15, 2011. The Indonesian delegation led by the Director General for America and Europe of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Mrs. Retno Marsudi included representatives of the Ministries of Industry, Trade, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, East Kalimantan provincial government and businessmen. A meeting of Belarus and Indonesia businesspeople was held at Belarusian CCI.

The National Exposition of the Republic of Belarus was arranged at the Indonesian International Heavy Duty Vehicle and Equipment Exhibition on March 28-31, 2012 in Jakarta. Belarusian companies BelAZ JSC, Minsk Tractor Works JSC, Amkodor JSC, Minsk Automobile Plant JSC, Bobruisk Tractor Parts and Units JSC, Belshina JSC, Borisov Plant of Medical Preparations JSC, Bobruyskagromash JSC, Glubokskiy Milk Factory JSC, as well as subordinate organizations of the Ministry of Education, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and State Committee on Science and Technology took part in the National Exposition of the Republic of Belarus.

On March 29, 2012 the Belarusian-Indonesian B2B Meeting was conducted at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce with participation of exhibitors of the National Exposition of the Republic of Belarus.

On September 23, 2013 the Forth Session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation took place in Bogor. The progress in the implementation of agreements that were reached during the visit of the President of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Indonesia (March 18-20, 2013) was discussed. Following the results of the discussion the Agreed Minutes of the 4th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission were signed.

Belarusian delegation included Mr. Leonid Marinich, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus, representatives of the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus as well as representatives of BelAZ JSC, Lidselmash JSC, MAZ JSC, MTW JSC, Belshina JSC, Belarusian Potash Company JSC, Amkodor-Mozha Ltd.  

On June 22, 2015 the Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation took place in Minsk. The parties exchanged information on the state and prospects of development of the national economies, bilateral cooperation, explored a vast list of issues relating to the collaboration in trade, economic, investment, scientific, technological, cultural and educational spheres. 

The Agreed Minutes of the Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation as well as the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Republican Unitary Enterprise Belarusian Telegraph Agency and the ANTARA News Agency of the Republic of Indonesia were signed. The meeting of the Head of the Indonesian delegation with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Semashko was held. The Indonesian delegation visited the Joint Stock Company BELAZ and met top executives of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and BSVT Company.

In the period from May 29 to June 2, 2016 Belarusian delegation headed by Mr. Vladimir Semashko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus visited Indonesia. During the visit Vladimir Semashko had meetings with Dr. Muhammad Jusuf  Kalla, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia; Mr. Irman Gusman, Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Mr. A.M. Fachir, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia; Dr. Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of Indonesia; General (Ret.) Ryamizard Ryacudu, Minister of Defence of Indonesia; Governors of South Sumatra and Jakarta, as well as the chief executive officers of the biggest companies Salim Group and Blue Bird Group.

During the meetings, the issues of the Belarusian-Indonesian cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment and scientific spheres were discussed.

In the course of the economic forum organized under the aegis of Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) commercial contracts for the supply of MAZ trucks, agricultural tractors, tyres, as well as a Memorandum on the establishment of a joint managing company for BelAZ machinery sales to Indonesia were signed.

On October 17, 2017 the Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation took place in Jakarta. The parties exchanged information on the state and prospects of development of the national economies, bilateral cooperation, explored the issues relating to the collaboration in trade, economic, investment, scientific, technological, cultural and educational spheres. The Agreed Minutes of the Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Commission was signed. 

On October 17-18, 2017 Mr. Andrei Dapkiunas, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus during the visit to Indonesia met with Prof. Dr. Ir. Hj. Darmayanti Lubis, Deputy Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives of the People’s Consultative Assembly of Indonesia and General (RTD) Ryamizard Ryacudu, Minister of Defence of Indonesia.

On October 17, 2017 an Indonesian-Belarusian Business Forum under the auspices of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was held in Jakarta. Presentations of trade, economic and investment potential of the Republic of Belarus as well as export proposals of the leading Belarusian enterprises of the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Belarusian Potash Company OJSC, BelAZ OJSC, MTW OJSC, Belshina OJSC, MAZ OJSC, Belarusian Oil Trading House, Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Plant OJSC were arranged at the forum. Belarusian and Indonesian business people held negotiations on the establishment and further development of mutually beneficial cooperation. Following the results of the forum and further meetings during the visit Belarusian representatives reached agreements to increase bilateral trade with Indonesian partners.

Priority issues of the Belarusian-Indonesian trade and economic cooperation’s development were substantively worked out within the framework of political consultations held in Minsk on May 24, 2018; during the international events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations in Minsk in November, 2018, as well as in December, 2018 during the visit of the delegation led by Mr. D.Korchik, Deputy Minister of Industry of Belarus to Indonesia.

In 2018, Indonesia ranked 15th in the world among Belarusian exports’ destination countries. A record amount of Belarusian merchandise exports has been achieved for the 25-year period since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Indonesia ranks 15th among the world's largest Belarusian export destinations.

In 2019, 37 new Belarusian products reached Indonesia. The companies «Savushkin Product» and «Babushkina Krynka» entered the Indonesian dairy market.

The promotion of Belarusian machine engineering and special equipment to the Indonesian market is under way. In 2019, supply of 8 BelAZ 130 tons dump trucks was started. Trade in services of the two countries increased by a third.

In 2020, Indonesia is the 4th strategic market in the world for the sale of Belarusian potassium chloride. In addition, the supply of dairy products increased by more than one and a half times; export deliveries of OJSC “MAZ” and OJSC “MTZ” were resumed. A new export position “bleached pulp” was opened at OJSC “Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill”. “BelOMO” holding started to realize a project to localize the production of surveillance devices in Indonesia. Indonesia ranks 18th among the most significant Belarusian export destinations.

In 2021, the growth of non- commodity export to Indonesia increased twice, including dairy products — more than 4 times. Indonesia ranks 18th among the most important Belarusian export destinations. Cooperation at the regional level has been intensified, a series of online seminars for business has been held.