THE IMPROVEMENT INDONESIA – RUSSIA TRADE RELATIONS: STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC COOPERATION (2013 – 2017)

Abstract

This thesis aims to discuss explicitly Indonesia’s economic interests to Russia. By focusing on foreign policy and strategies carried out by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Russia in the period 2013 to 2017. This research uses qualitative data analysis conducted deductively through literature studies and interview. The method used in research to collect data is by analyzing documents from primary sources and interview with the related sources. The theoretical framework of this study consists of Foreign Economic Cooperation, Bilateral Relations, and Economic Cooperation. The result of this study indicates how Indonesia by utilizing foreign economic policy can achieve the national interests and can be keen to identify various economic opportunities that exist in the Russian Federation which is in trade relations. This is indicated by the positive results in the trade sector between Indonesia and Russia in 2015 and 2016 which reached 1.1 million USD (2015) and 410.9 million USD (2016). Meanwhile, the trade data from 2013 shows a deficit which amounted -536.9 million USD and -77.2 million USD (2017). It concludes that for Indonesia, Russia as the largest country in Eastern European region cannot be ignored due to all economic potential and access market availability. Indonesia government should be seriously sustains and improve its foreign economic policy in market access to the Russian Federation.