With 75 years of friendship and mutual trust -- built since the era of the Soviet Union and continued with the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) -- Indonesia and the Eurasian region are elevating their strategic partnership to a new and more meaningful level.

This solid diplomatic foundation now serves as a reliable springboard for deeper economic integration in the years ahead.

Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Indonesia and the EAEU -- comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia -- began in December 2022. After careful and substantive discussions, the parties have finalized a draft agreement, now entering the signing preparation stage.

Once enacted, the Indonesia-EAEU FTA will open broader access for Indonesian exporters to a promising market of more than 180 million people. This strategic move brings tangible and measurable benefits to Indonesia’s key economic sectors.

Based on current trade volumes, implementing the agreement could allow Indonesian exporters to save up to $33.5 million annually in customs duties on shipments to EAEU countries. There is also a strong reason to believe that the deal could double bilateral trade in the near future.

Expanding Export Opportunities
The agreement will create favorable conditions for Indonesian products to enter EAEU markets -- both in agriculture and industry.

In agriculture, key commodities such as vegetable oils (including palm oil), cocoa butter and powder, coffee, tea, seafood, spices, and tropical fruits will benefit from either complete tariff elimination or significant reductions.

On the industrial side, the EAEU offers wide opportunities for Indonesian footwear, textiles and apparel, and furniture. Electronics, including household appliances, will also gain a stronger pricing advantage.

Tariff preferences further apply to rolled steel and other metal products, opening pathways for Indonesian metallurgical firms to expand cooperation and integrate more comfortably into the Eurasian supply chain.

Strengthening Food and Energy Security
The FTA’s implementation will also support food and energy resilience. Alongside export growth, Indonesia can meet domestic demand with key imports from EAEU countries -- such as wheat, fertilizers, and petroleum products.

Once in force, the FTA will grant preferential access for 90.5 percent of tariff lines in the EAEU’s product list -- covering about 95 percent of Indonesia’s total exports to the region. Average import tariffs on Indonesian goods will fall roughly fivefold, making Indonesian products far more competitive and attractive to Eurasian buyers.

Beyond Tariffs: Building a Modern Trade Framework
Beyond lowering tariffs, the FTA includes key regulatory provisions to facilitate business activity. It not only removes tariff and non-tariff barriers -- including trade remedies, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, and technical trade restrictions -- but also reinforces sectoral cooperation instruments aligned with the economic growth priorities of both sides.

This framework paves the way for real business projects, encouraging joint ventures in agro-processing, high-tech manufacturing, furniture production, packaging materials, and consumer goods. Establishing production facilities that combine Indonesian resources and Eurasian technologies will drive deeper integration, new jobs, and technology transfer.

A Foundation for Long-Term Partnership
Today, cooperation between Indonesia and EAEU member states extends far beyond trade. The partnership now spans a broad spectrum of issues where mutually beneficial solutions can elevate relations to a higher level.

The FTA will serve as a platform for dialogue in digital trade, logistics, research and innovation, energy efficiency and conservation, advanced medical technology, and joint education programs.

Active interaction platforms established under the agreement will enhance direct business contacts, promote business tourism, and encourage participation in joint exhibitions, while strengthening long-term partnerships. Simplified trade procedures and greater brand recognition will naturally spur tourism flows, opening new opportunities for EAEU citizens to experience Indonesia’s cultural richness and natural beauty.

The FTA between Indonesia and the EAEU represents a direct pathway to trade diversification, greater trade value, and more transparent, predictable rules -- a modern framework that reflects both sides’ shared interests.

It will serve as a solid foundation for a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership -- anchored in trust, collaboration, and a shared vision of prosperity across Eurasia.
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Andrey Slepnev is the Minister in Charge of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission. He chairs the delegation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in FTA negotiations with Indonesia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author.