Indonesia and the United Kingdom are working to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties, with discussions in London focusing on a proposed Indonesia-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-UK CEPA). Indonesia’s Director General of International Trade Negotiations, Johni Martha, led a delegation to London from September 7 to 9.
During the visit, Indonesian officials met UK government institutions and other stakeholders to discuss the proposed trade agreement. The talks also covered Indonesia’s efforts to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), with Jakarta noting continued British support for its accession.
Indonesia’s Trade Ministry said an I-UK CEPA could improve market access while reducing regulatory barriers and supporting trade in services and investment. Bilateral trade between the two countries rose from $2.57 billion in 2021 to $2.66 billion in 2025, according to Indonesian government figures.
The London visit also included a business roundtable involving 20 companies and other commercial stakeholders. Discussions covered the proposed CEPA, Indonesia’s CPTPP accession and the possibility of extending the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme for Indonesia.
The UK has been consulting businesses and other groups on its future trade relationship with Indonesia. In July, the British government launched a call for input covering Indonesia alongside other economies, as discussions on deeper trading relationships continued. The UK and Indonesia had already established an Economic Growth Partnership earlier in 2026 to encourage closer economic cooperation.
