London and Jakarta forge ‘strategic partnership’ as Starmer and Prabowo eye maritime future

The UK and Indonesia have formalised a sweeping strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Prabowo Subianto move to solidify ties between London and Southeast Asia’s most formidable economy.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto share a significant handshake outside 10 Downing Street, London, on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, marking a pivotal moment in the bilateral relationship. Source: YouTube/Sekretariat Presiden

LONDON — In a meeting at Downing Street on Tuesday—the second such encounter in less than a year—the two leaders signaled a shift from diplomatic ambition to concrete action. The agreement, which covers the pillars of maritime cooperation, education, and economic development, marks a pivotal moment in the UK’s post-Brexit "Indo-Pacific tilt."

Welcoming the Indonesian leader back to Number 10, Starmer reflected on the pace of the diplomatic thaw. "When you were here the first time, we agreed that we would try to aim for a strategic partnership, and now we've achieved that," the Prime Minister said. He described the swift progress as a "real sign" of the burgeoning relationship between the two nations.

A central component of the talks was the maritime agreement previously inked during the G20 summit. For Starmer, the deal is a domestic win, expected to generate a significant number of British jobs. For Prabowo, however, the pact is a cornerstone of his domestic agenda: the modernisation of Indonesia’s vast archipelagic economy.

"I think it will be very important, strategic for Indonesia," Prabowo told reporters. "It will be a vital part of our maritime economic development."

The visit was not merely a display of high-level diplomacy. Prabowo’s itinerary in London—which includes talks with British business titans and the prestigious Russell Group of universities—reveals a specific interest in British soft power. The President has long been vocal about leveraging UK expertise to bolster Indonesia’s human capital, viewing education as the engine for his country’s ambitious infrastructure goals.

For the UK, the partnership offers a vital foothold in a region increasingly defined by its economic dynamism and geopolitical sensitivity. For Indonesia, it is a calculated move to court Western investment while maintaining its traditional non-aligned stance.

As the two leaders headed into a working lunch, the message was clear: the relationship between London and Jakarta is no longer one of potential, but of active, strategic necessity.