During their last meeting in Jakarta, the Indonesian public warmly welcomed Erdoğan, while Prabowo personally greeted the Turkish president upon his arrival at the airport and escorted him to the hotel, and then sent him off at the airport for his departure from Indonesia.

A 75-strong cavalry unit was prepared and more than 5,000 students and other members of the public welcomed Erdoğan along the route to Bogor Palace, where their meeting took place. The Turkish president said he was deeply moved and had never experienced such a reception during his entire political career.

What is more important is the productive meeting between the two leaders.

They agreed firmly that Indonesia and Turkey needed to usher in a new chapter of strategic partnership. No less than 13 cooperation agreements in various fields, ranging from energy and industry to education and religious affairs, were agreed upon.

These areas of cooperation can continue to expand into other strategic sectors.

Adding to the warm and cordial relationship between them, the two presidents also exchanged unique souvenirs symbolizing the significant historical ties between their countries.

President Prabowo presented a domestically produced 5.56 x 46-millimeter caliber SS2-V4A2 assault rifle, known for its accurate firing precision, which featured a special engraving of the Turkish president's name. Additionally, Prabowo gifted a Balinese kris with a silver hilt wrapped in gold and adorned with rubies.

The kris is an ancient traditional weapon of the Indonesian people, symbolizing strength and love for God Almighty.

Meanwhile, president Erdoğan presented a white vase with pink floral ornaments and a calligraphy piece. It contained a poem expressing the prayers and gratitude of the Javanese people to Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid Khan and Muhammad Hasib Pasha, the governor of the Hejaz and Sheikh of the Holy Land, for ensuring the safety and peace of the holy sites, as well as the well-being through a just governance of the ummah (Muslim community).

Indeed, cultural relations might serve as a strong foundation and reminder between the two countries that share similar aspirations to provide prosperity to their peoples.

Having a very strong foundation in bilateral relations, Indonesia and Turkey, as middle powers with a majority Muslim population, have a strategic role in continuing to promote the spirit of peace, particularly regarding the conflict in Palestine.

Indonesia's position remains the same: It supports lasting peace for Palestine through a two-state solution and realizing stability in the Middle East.

Although not a participant in the Extraordinary Arab Summit, Indonesia fully supports the commitment of the Cairo Declaration in March 2025 to rebuild the Gaza Strip, as it resonated at the ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Furthermore, the government, together with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the National Alms Agency (Baznas), is conducting a campaign to raise US$200 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine.

It also has to be mentioned that there certainly is a large area for improving trade relations between Indonesia and Turkey, which is in line with a previous agreement to increase the trade balance to $10 billion.

The world has now changed in the direction of bilateralism, partly forced by the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China.

While bilateralism serves to help any two countries fend off the uncertainties and consequences that result from this rivalry, the world is simply too complex for any two countries to handle whatever challenges that arise from international relations between nations. Also, international relations is not only about the US and China.

Against this backdrop, Indonesia and Turkey possess strong modalities to uphold the spirit of multilateralism in the current global landscape.

First, both nations possess a strong commitment to peaceful resolution, dialogue and inclusivity, which positions them as natural advocates for international cooperation.

Both countries have been active and can actively leverage platforms like the D-8 (developing eight) Organization for Economic Cooperation and the OIC to champion collective action on the development agenda, fostering a sense of solidarity and shared responsibility among developing countries.

Furthermore, the two nations also have strived consistently and continuously for the betterment of international institutions. As influential middle powers, their voices carry weight in discussions surrounding United Nations reform, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral bodies.

By forging closer strategic relations with like-minded nations, Turkey and Indonesia can build momentum for changes that ensure a more equitable distribution of power and an international system that is more responsive to the needs of developing countries.

Indonesia and Turkey’s active engagement in initiatives like MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, Australia) provides a platform to build consensus and propose constructive reforms that strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of multilateral institutions.

In a period of international relations that tends to lean toward bilateralism, Turkey and Indonesia as middle powers have a crucial role in maintaining the spirit of multilateralism to encourage cooperation among developing countries in achieving shared development and other strategic interests.

President Prabowo’s visit to Turkey this week might pave the way for pursuing those aspirations.

---

The writer is foreign affairs spokesperson at the Presidential Communication Office (PCO). This article was first published in Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah; read the original article here.