Turkey Strengthens Economic and Security Ties With Indonesia and Singapore

Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, arrived in Jakarta on Monday for a high-stakes diplomatic visit aimed at deepening ties with Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous country, as Ankara pushes to expand its economic and strategic footprint in Southeast Asia. The visit, which follows a stop in Singapore earlier this week, comes as Turkey seeks to counterbalance its strained relations with Western allies by strengthening partnerships in regions where its influence is growing.

At the heart of the discussions was a $10 billion trade target set by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a virtual meeting in June, according to a statement from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. Çavuşoğlu, who met with his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, emphasized that Turkey’s engagement with Indonesia was not just about commerce but also about shared interests in regional security, energy cooperation, and counterterrorism. The two ministers signed a joint declaration pledging to accelerate negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, which could further streamline trade and investment between the two nations.

Çavuşoğlu’s visit also underscored Turkey’s broader strategy of positioning itself as a counterweight to Western-led global governance amid what he described as a period of “strategic resignation” by some nations in the face of geopolitical disorder. In a speech to Indonesian diplomats and business leaders, he rejected the idea that countries should retreat from global engagement, framing Turkey’s active diplomacy as a rejection of isolationism. “We believe in a multipolar world where no single power dictates the rules,” Çavuşoğlu said, a stance that resonates with Indonesia’s own non-aligned foreign policy tradition.

The economic dimension of the visit was equally significant. Turkish officials highlighted opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, defense, and infrastructure, where Turkish firms—backed by state support—have increasingly competed for contracts in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, meanwhile, is seeking foreign investment to modernize its ports, railways, and energy grid, making it an attractive partner for Ankara. Çavuşoğlu noted that Turkish companies had already secured contracts worth $1.5 billion in Indonesia over the past year, including deals in electric vehicle battery production and smart city projects.

Yet the visit also carried geopolitical undertones. With tensions simmering between Turkey and the U.S. Over Syria, NATO, and arms sales to Ukraine, Ankara has intensified efforts to diversify its alliances. Indonesia, as the host of the upcoming G20 summit in November, represents a critical platform for Turkey to align its economic agenda with broader global priorities. Marsudi, in turn, welcomed Turkey’s role as a “bridge” between East and West, a framing that aligns with Jakarta’s efforts to maintain balanced relations amid rising great-power competition.

Çavuşoğlu’s next stop, Singapore, further illustrates Turkey’s regional outreach. There, he met with Singaporean officials to discuss expanded cooperation in defense, cybersecurity, and trade, signaling Ankara’s intent to deepen ties with a key U.S. Ally in Asia. The Singapore visit followed a similar engagement in Malaysia, where Turkish firms are bidding for infrastructure projects under the country’s National Energy Transition Roadmap. Analysts suggest these visits are part of a deliberate campaign to reduce Turkey’s economic and diplomatic dependence on Western markets while leveraging its Muslim-majority identity and technological expertise to gain footholds in emerging economies.

The immediate outcome of Çavuşoğlu’s Jakarta visit remains focused on trade negotiations and institutional agreements, with both sides agreeing to establish a high-level strategic dialogue to address shared challenges, including maritime security in the Indonesian Throughflow—a critical shipping lane for global trade. The next concrete step is scheduled for October, when a joint working group will finalize the economic partnership framework, though no timeline has been set for its ratification.