Indo-Pacific Strength Through Economic Ties
- Written by Simon Hutagalung
The defence treaty between Australia and Indonesia faces its most difficult test because of economic alliances instead of military conflicts. The partnership between Australia and Indonesia will face its most significant test through their economic partnerships, which include nickel mining operations and wheat cultivation, and university education. The Indo-Pacific region requires economic stability through trade relations instead of military equipment to preserve peace during increasing international competition.
The Australia–Indonesia defence and security treaty of January 2026 receives the most interest because of its military provisions, yet its long-term value depends on economic stability. The Indo-Pacific region achieves stability through economic ties between middle powers rather than through military alliances. The stability of their partnership depends on trade activities and investment partnerships, and supply chain stability, instead of military strength.
The bilateral trade relationship between Australia and Indonesia achieved AUD 18.2 billion in 2025, while showing a 12% increase from the previous year. The two nations maintain active business operations, which drive their trade expansion through their energy and agricultural products and educational services exchanges. The Indonesia–Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), established in 2020, now functions as a framework which promotes infrastructure growth and digital service growth and renewable energy development. International relations base their core peace maintenance structure on economic bonds which connect nations. Nations that depend on each other for vital resources, including food and critical minerals, and educational access, will maintain stability even when they disagree politically.
The Indonesian government depends on Australian wheat and beef exports to control inflation rates and ensure food security for its population. The Indonesian nickel production serves as a vital resource for Australia to achieve its clean energy goals and expand its electric vehicle market presence. The countries maintain stability through their economic interdependence, which surpasses the capabilities of military alliances. Economic relationships between countries function as strategic defence mechanisms because they create mutual financial advantages.
The Indo-Pacific region has become the central location for worldwide supply chain battles because essential materials, including minerals and agricultural products, and medical supplies, are being used as geopolitical tools. The two nations collaborate to build stable supply chains while obtaining financial benefits through their sectoral partnership. The two nations achieve greater regional self-governance through supply chain management, which reduces their need for external financial backing. The Australian investment in Indonesian nickel mines and battery supply chains demonstrates how economic partnerships create strategic advantages for both nations. The worldwide energy transformation depends on Indonesia for its essential resources, while Australia contributes technological know-how and funding to the initiative. The two nations operate a supply-chain alliance which strengthens their combined negotiating power in the Indo-Pacific region while protecting them from coercion by dominant world powers.
Education functions as the base which enables countries to build their international partnerships. More than 20,000 Indonesian students enrolled in Australian universities on 2025, which established permanent social connections between Australia and Indonesia. The educational exchange programs develop skilled workers who create innovative solutions which establish enduring positive connections between the two nations. The IA-CEPA framework enables Indonesia and Australia to work together on maritime law research and climate security and economic governance initiatives. The partnership moves past standard trade operations because it creates collective intellectual assets which enable countries to address complicated regional challenges.
The economic partnership between Australia and Indonesia faces multiple obstacles which threaten to destabilise their relationship. The Indonesian government uses protectionist trade policies to block Australian businesses from entering the agricultural and service markets through entry restrictions. The two nations encounter diplomatic obstacles because of their immigration policies for workers and their farming trade agreements. The Indonesian government maintains its largest trade relationship with China while dealing with the challenges of Chinese economic influence, which threatens its ability to stay neutral. The Australian government works to enhance security ties with Washington and Tokyo, but this approach creates conflicts with Indonesia's goal for independent strategic decision-making. Nations experience unstable economic relations because they must select alternative trade partners when regulatory conflicts and external pressures require them to do so. The governments need to create permanent institutions which will protect their economic partnership from political instability.
The governments of Australia and Indonesia need to establish permanent institutions which will protect their economic partnership. The economic and supply-chain coordination secretariat would operate without interruption through all leadership transitions. The participation of academics and civil society members, and business leaders in Track-1.5 dialogues will increase public backing for the partnership while reducing nationalistic opposition. The growth of educational programs and research partnerships will establish economic partnerships which bring advantages to every social group. Permanent institutions establish economic agreements which become enduring commitments that continue after treaties expire, while they evolve to address emerging issues, including climate change and technological advancements and market instability.
Security and economics in the Indo-Pacific region show that these two elements exist as interconnected systems which cannot function independently from each other. A nation achieves security through its ability to protect its food supplies and its power to implement clean energy systems and maintain dependable supply networks. The strategic partnership between Australia and Indonesia through their collaborative work in these sectors will decrease the chances of conflict and boost their position as influential middle powers in regional affairs. The symbolic advantages of military alliances do not substitute for economic power as the fundamental requirement for creating successful alliances. The defence budget between Australia at AUD 55.7 billion and Indonesia at USD 9.5 billion shows that military alliances come with their own set of restrictions. The economic partnership between Indonesia brings substantial advantages to the nation, while Australia demonstrates its commitment to respecting Indonesian authority over vital matters.
Simon Hutagalung is a retired Indonesian Foreign Ministry official and received his Master’s degree in Political Science and Comparative Politics from the City University of New York. The opinions expressed in this article are his own.
Reference
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