Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met the Pakistani President, PM and Chief of Defence Forces on Tuesday, leading to a renewal of ties between the two most populous Muslim countries, whose ties go back to Pakistani support for Indonesia in its struggle for emancipation from Holland after World War II, which was around the same time as the Pakistan Movement. Though enough time has passed for the memory of both struggles to have faced, the Indonesian struggle has a personal significance for him, as he is named after an uncle who died in the emancipation struggle. The reflection of May’s conflict between Pakistan and India comes in the interest Indonesia has shown in the JF-17 Thunder, which had shot down two IAF Rafales. Indonesia was close to a deal with France to buy Rafales for its air force, but is now reconsidering. President Subianto, a former general, and defence minister, is very much involved in the decision-making process.
President Subianto was one of those heads of government who met US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly sideline meeting after which he announced the Gaza peace plan. So was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It is of some significance that the two have agreed to coordinate their stance at a time when the Peace Plan is to move to a new phase, and while Hamas is complaining loudly about Israeli violations of the ceasefire. As both have possible peacekeeping roles, their attitude and understanding would be crucial at this juncture. The bilateral ties include $4.5 billion in trade, of which about 90 percent consists of Indonesian palm oil imported by Pakistan. The two countries also have a Preferential Trade Agreement. Though it was agreed that the trade would be balanced by Pakistani exports, and that it would be increased, there was no specific set.
Historically, the two countries have had a close relationship, which extended to Indonesia offering in 1965 to occupy the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, to open up another front for India. Though it is possible that Indonesian goodwill may not extend that far, there is no doubt that Pakistan can count it among its friends. As Indonesia is within ASEAN, this means that Pakistan has a friend in that bloc, and has a position in the Pacific that matches India’s membership of the QUAD. More to the point, the trading opportunities there are growing, Pakistan is poised to take a place in that trade.
