ISLAMABAD: 09 Dec 2025 -Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday agreed to enhance bilateral trade, expand cooperation in health, agriculture, Information Technology, science, and education, and deepen coordination on regional and global issues, including Palestine.
In a joint press stakeout along with President of Indonesia Prabowo Subiato at the PM House, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Indonesia were committed to boosting bilateral trade, which currently stood at US$4.5 billion, noting that over 90 percent of the total trade comprised of palm oil import from Indonesia to Pakistan.
He said both sides discussed corrective measures to help balance trade between the two countries, including increasing Pakistan’s exports in agriculture, IT-led initiatives, and other sectors.
The prime minister also offered to send doctors, dentists, medical professors, and other health experts to Indonesia to help meet the needs of Indonesian medical universities and hospitals.
“I want to assure you that whatever is possible for us in this regard, we will do it without any delay,” he said.
PM Shehbaz highlighted that bilateral relations between the two countries span over 75 years, noting that their ties predate Pakistan’s independence. He recalled that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had supported Indonesia’s independence movement and said Indonesia stood firmly with Pakistan during the 1965 war.
Referring to regional and global issues, the prime minister praised Indonesia’s stance on Gaza and said it was time for the international community to act to stop the ongoing bloodshed. He expressed confidence that the bond between the two countries would continue to grow and that President Prabowo’s visit would take relations to “new heights.”
President Prabowo Subianto thanked the government and people of Pakistan for the warm reception, noting that his aircraft was escorted by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder jets.
The Indonesian president said the bilateral meeting was productive and resulted in agreements across several areas of cooperation, including trade, education, agriculture, science and technology. He described Islam as a moderate religion that promotes inclusivity and tolerance, adding that Pakistan and Indonesia shared historic and brotherly relations.
President Prabowo welcomed Pakistan’s offer to assist in the health sector, saying Indonesia had vast needs for doctors, dentists, and medical experts, and termed Pakistan’s support strategic and critical. He said he had instructed Indonesian ministers to expedite practical cooperation with Pakistan in multiple fields.
He also said both countries were closely coordinating their foreign policies, particularly on Palestine and Gaza, reaffirming Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution. He added that the foreign ministers of both sides remained in close contact.
Expressing optimism about future ties, President Prabowo invited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Indonesia to further enhance bilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meeting with the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received the President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Prabowo Subianto at the Prime Minister House today.
Upon arrival, President Subianto was given a guard of honour as a mark of respect and honour.
The two leaders held a tete-e-tete meeting, followed by delegation-level talks.
During the talks, the Prime Minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Director General Intersevives Intelligence ISI, Lt Gen Asim Malik, cabinet ministers and senior officials.
The two leaders reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including political and diplomatic engagement, economic and trade relations, defense and security, health, education, science and technology, agriculture and environmental collaboration. Both sides also agreed to elevate their historic bilateral relations to a forward-looking, dynamic partnership.
Expressing satisfaction with the upward trajectory of bilateral trade, both sides agreed to review the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (IP-PTA) to further expand the volume of bilateral trade, which currently stands at around USD 4 billion, while undertaking efforts to address the trade imbalance. They particularly emphasized on the importance of expanding cooperation in the halal industry, trade in agricultural commodities, information technology, technical and vocational education etc.
The two sides agreed to promote collaboration in investments and joint ventures across diverse sectors, through enhanced cooperation between the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Indonesia (Danantara).
The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for President Prabowo’s welfare-oriented and people-centric initiatives, including the “Free Nutritious Meal Program”.
While noting Indonesia’s interest in enhancing cooperation in the health sector, the Pakistan side agreed to explore ways to enhance cooperation through the exchange of medical professionals, mutual recognition of medical qualifications, and offering specialized training.
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including the situation in Kashmir and Gaza, reiterating their shared commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in line with relevant UNSC resolutions and the protection of human rights.
The Prime Minister appreciated President Prabowo’s active diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in Gaza, including his role in pursuing ceasefire arrangements and delivering humanitarian assistance.
Both leaders appreciated the close and active cooperation between the two countries at multilateral fora, including the UN, OIC, and D-8. The Prime Minister congratulated Indonesia on assuming the Chair of D-8 and assured the Indonesian President of Pakistan’s full support at this forum.
After the talks, the two leaders witnessed an exchange of Memoranda of Understanding and agreements between both sides in diverse fields.
The Prime Minister also hosted a luncheon in honour of the President of Indonesia and his accompanying delegation.
The visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Indonesia, a historic milestone in the brotherly ties between the two nations.
