Russia and Indonesia discuss bilateral agreements and Biak spaceport

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov has indicated that new bilateral agreements between Russia and Indonesia may be signed during the 11th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, scheduled for September 1–4. Tolchenov noted that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is also being prepared for the margins of the forum.

Potential cooperation areas include grain, oil, and fertilizers. Additionally, the two nations are in preliminary discussions regarding the development of a spaceport in Biak, Papua. Tolchenov clarified that these talks involve the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos. He dismissed rumors that the Biak facility would serve as a Russian military base, asserting that the spaceport would belong entirely to Indonesia and its sovereign decisions regarding its use.