Operationalizing Russia-Indonesia Strategic Partnership: a Contribution from the Digital Field

Southeast Asia: Actual Problems of Development. 2025. Vol. 3. No. 3(68). P. 96–110.

Kanaev E.

The article attempts to outline promising areas of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia in the digital field, as the latter is an important component of the strategic partnership established by the two countries in June 2025. On assessing the state of Russia-Indonesia relations and their vulnerabilities, the author turns to considering the present stage of the digital transformation in the Republic of Indonesia, its main priorities, directions and tools, as well as key challenges the country is encountering in this field. Then, promising areas of Russia-Indonesia cooperation in the digital field, as an attempt of both countries to respond to those challenges, are considered. In the author’s view, mostly niche cooperation in practically oriented areas, including the digital transformation, can be the foundation upon which Russia-Indonesia strategic partnership may be premised. Notably, however, the parties will have to do much extra work, including in non-digital areas, in order to translate their plans into reality. Although Russia-Indonesia relations have traditionally been in the focus of Russian and selected foreign specialists, so far there is dearth of research on the digital aspects of the dialogue between the two countries. To fill this research gap is especially timely taking into account the on-going global digital transformation, as well as Russia’s and Indonesia’s intention to provide their cooperation with an extra impetus after the establishment of the strategic partnership. The synergy of these factors accounts for the relevance of the article, as well as its academic and practical significance.

Keywords: Russia, strategic partnership, Indonesia, digital tools