Italy and Indonesia are poised to significantly expand their bilateral cooperation across trade, defense, and the energy transition, anchored by open markets, complementary industrial strengths, and deep historical ties.
The big picture: A shared commitment to open trade. Speaking at the Indonesian Embassy in Rome for the country’s National Day celebrations, Deputy Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Valentino Valentini emphasized that national prosperity relies on trade openness rather than protectionism.
- Export powerhouse: Recalling that Italy’s exports surpassed €640 billion in 2025, Valentini noted that trade and open ports—legacy principles dating back to Marco Polo and the Venetian Republic—remain foundational to the Italian economy.
- Human connections: Beyond official treaties, Valentini highlighted deep cultural and people-to-people bridges,citing sports ties such as Indonesian ownership of Como (the Hartono family) and historic commercial connections like Indonesian robusta coffee serving as “the backbone of Italian espresso.”
Between the lines: Naval defense and shared strategic missions. Defense cooperation has emerged as a cornerstone of the Rome-Jakarta axis, underscored by major acquisitions and operational alignment.
- Naval partnerships: Indonesian Ambassador to Italy Junimart Girsang highlighted major defense milestones, including naval vessels built by Fincantieri for the Indonesian Navy and the acquisition of the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (slated to be renamed Kri Sriwijaya for humanitarian and non-combat missions). Beyond hardware, collaboration includes long-term agreements for maintenance, spare parts, and training.
- Shared operational duties: Valentini noted that Italian and Indonesian soldiers serve together in United Nations missions, sharing operational risks and mutual trust forged under demanding conditions.
Zoom in: Powering the energy transition and industrial synergy. The two nations are aligning their complementary assets to accelerate the green transition and economic exchange, supported by the EU-Indonesia trade agreement concluded in September 2025.
- Energy complementarity: While Italy imports roughly three-quarters of its energy and brings advanced engineering, machinery, electricity grids, and storage systems, Indonesia boasts rich reserves of critical raw materials like nickel alongside ambitious plans to develop 100 gigawatts of solar capacity in three years.
- Diplomatic momentum: Ambassador Girsang pointed to high-level institutional milestones—including Undersecretary Maria Tripodi’s visit to Jakarta and the fourth Indonesia-Italy Bilateral Consultation Forum—as vital drivers for bilateral investment and food security collaboration through Rome-based UN agencies.
Why it matters: As global supply chains face mounting protectionist pressures, Italy and Indonesia are demonstrating how traditional maritime ties can translate into modern, high-value strategic partnerships.
- By linking industrial machinery, defense manufacturing, and critical energy transition infrastructure, both nations are securing long-term economic resilience across Europe and Southeast Asia.
