Jamwaktu.com – President Joko Widodo and his wife, Prabowo Subianto, returned to Indonesia after their inaugural diplomatic visit to Pakistan and Russia on December 8–10, 2025, which resulted in a series of strategic agreements in health and technology, as well as other sectors such as agriculture, trade, and research. This visit is seen as a crucial momentum to strengthen Indonesia’s bilateral relations and multilateralism amidst complex global dynamics.
The two countries visited, Pakistan and the Russian Federation, warmly welcomed President Prabowo’s visit, specifically highlighting health and technology cooperation as a top diplomatic priority. Meetings with the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, demonstrated the strategic alignment between Indonesia’s national interests and the development goals of both partner countries.
Health Agreement: Answering Indonesia’s Medical Human Resources Challenge
One of the main focuses of the cooperation is increasing the capacity of Indonesia’s health sector, particularly to address the shortage of medical personnel. The Indonesian government currently faces a shortage of general practitioners, specialists, and dentists, which significantly impacts health services in remote areas and other priority areas.
During a bilateral meeting in Pakistan, the two countries signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including cooperation in the fields of health workforce development, healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and digital health technology. The Pakistani Prime Minister expressed his full support for the plan to establish dozens of new medical faculties across Indonesia’s provinces, which is considered crucial to meeting long-term health workforce needs.
Furthermore, Pakistan expressed its commitment to sending doctors, professors, and medical experts as part of a training and knowledge transfer program. This form of cooperation is expected to accelerate improvements in the quality of Indonesia’s national healthcare services.
Technology and Knowledge Transfer: Bridges to Innovation
Following the conclusion of his visit to Pakistan, President Prabowo continued his visit to Russia to strengthen cross-sector cooperation, including technology and science. The intensive meeting with President Putin lasted approximately three hours at the Kremlin Palace and discussed a number of strategic issues, including cooperation in technological research, advanced technology transfer, and innovation in agriculture and science.
Putin affirmed Russia’s readiness to support high-tech cooperation with Indonesia not only in the industrial and agricultural sectors, but also in the development of civil nuclear technology, as part of Indonesia’s long-term energy plan. The Russian government even offered to involve its experts in this project upon request.
Contribution to the National Development Agenda
The agreements signed during the visit not only contribute to strengthening Indonesia’s bilateral relations with both countries but also support the national development agenda launched by the government. The shared focus on health, technology, and innovation reflects an economic diplomacy strategy that favors improving the quality of life for the wider community.
According to the Cabinet Secretary of State, a total of seven new cooperation agreements were signed during the visits to Islamabad and Moscow, covering the fields of health, agriculture, trade, research, science, technology, and economics. This cooperation is expected to expand economic opportunities, provide new higher education opportunities, and strengthen public services in the future.
Responses and Future Expectations
The diplomatic community and international relations experts welcomed this move. They assessed that the cooperation is not only economically strategic but also highly relevant in addressing global challenges, such as the need for adequate healthcare workers and the adoption of cutting-edge technology for national development.
With Indonesia’s strategic position as a BRICS member country and its active role in the global community, intensive cooperation in the fields of health and technology with Pakistan and Russia is expected to open new opportunities for innovation, strengthen national capacity, and strengthen Indonesia’s role on the international stage in the future.
