Indonesia courts Belarus and the Pacific trade bloc in a widening balancing act

Indonesia welcomed Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Jakarta on Thursday and agreed a roadmap for closer economic ties, which the state news agency Antara described as a new direction in the country's economic diplomacy. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, remains under heavy Western sanctions, making the visit a pointed choice by Indonesia's president, Prabowo Subianto.

At nearly the same time, Jakarta began preparatory discussions for accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an 11-member trade pact that includes Japan, Canada and Australia, Antara reported. The two moves, taken together, illustrate a strategy of engaging every bloc rather than aligning with one side.

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and an influential member of the Global South, has sought membership in groups across the geopolitical spectrum, including the BRICS group of major emerging economies. Deepening ties with a sanctioned state while seeking entry to a Western-led trade agreement reflects a calculation that non-alignment offers more leverage than loyalty to any single bloc.

The approach carries risks. Building ties with Belarus could draw scrutiny from Western partners whose markets and capital Indonesia also wants, and it tests how far a middle power can hedge between blocs.