Kuwaiti tourists to Indonesia... a significant leap over five years

- Anticipation for a ministerial committee meeting and political consultations between the two countries in November

- Kuwait-Indonesia Energy Forum... in preparation

- Trade volume reaches $606 million in 2025

- $1.2 million in Kuwaiti investments outside the oil and gas sector

Kuwaiti-Indonesian relations in recent years reflect a growing trend toward expanding partnership in the fields of economy, investment, energy, and tourism, amid efforts by both countries to open new avenues for bilateral cooperation.

Kuwaiti tourism to Indonesia stands out as one of the indicators of this growth, with the number of Kuwaiti visitors rising from 75 tourists in 2021 to 5,166 in 2025, an increase of approximately 6,788 percent, according to data announced by Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait Lina Mariana.

Ambassador Lina Mariana confirmed that Kuwaiti-Indonesian relations are witnessing continuous development at the bilateral, regional, and international levels, expressing her country’s aspiration to expand cooperation with Kuwait, particularly in the sectors of energy, trade, investment, culture, education, and tourism.

In a statement marking Indonesia’s 81st anniversary of independence on August 17, the ambassador said the two countries continue to explore new opportunities for cooperation that serve their shared interests.

Mariana noted that bilateral relations have seen mutual visits by high-ranking officials from both countries in recent years, alongside the signing of several cooperation agreements, including an agreement to establish a joint committee. She pointed out that both sides agreed to accelerate the implementation of memorandums of understanding signed in various fields.

She revealed that the two countries agreed to explore the possibility of holding the second session of the Joint Ministerial Committee and the first round of political consultations in November 2026, considering this step as a new platform to enhance political coordination and follow up on bilateral cooperation files.

She added that both countries are working to finalize arrangements for holding the first Kuwait-Indonesia Energy Forum in Indonesia, which was scheduled for last year, emphasizing the importance of the energy sector as a key area capable of driving economic partnership between the two nations.

In the economic field, the ambassador noted that the volume of trade between the two countries rose from $547.5 million in 2024 to $606 million in 2025. However, she stressed that these figures remain below the true potential of the economic relations between the two countries.

She explained that Indonesian exports to Kuwait reached $193 million in 2025, compared to imports from Kuwait valued at $412.5 million, resulting in an Indonesian trade deficit of $218.9 million.

She added that Indonesia aspires to continue growing bilateral trade at a rate of at least 10 percent annually, while working to achieve a greater balance in the trade balance. She expressed hope in completing negotiations on a free trade agreement between her country and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) this year.

She confirmed that Indonesia is also aware that current political and security developments in the region could significantly affect efforts to increase the volume of bilateral trade.

Regarding the investment sector, Mariana stated that investment cooperation between the two countries is moving in a positive direction, noting that Kuwaiti investments in Indonesia are primarily concentrated in the oil and gas sector, particularly through the Kuwait Oil Company for Foreign Exploration (KOCFE).

She added that Kuwaiti investments in Indonesia outside the oil and gas sector reached $1.2 million in 2025, compared to $1 million in 2024, representing an increase of approximately 20.26 percent.

She clarified that about $1.13 million of these investments was directed to Jakarta, while approximately $300,000 was invested in Bali in the fields of real estate and industrial zone development, emphasizing the continued commitment of both countries to enhance investment cooperation through efforts to establish a bilateral investment agreement.

In the tourism sector, Mariana noted a significant growth in the number of tourists arriving from Kuwait to Indonesia following the coronavirus pandemic.

She stated that the number of Kuwaiti tourists reached 5,166 by the end of 2025, compared to just 75 in 2021, 2,216 in 2022, 4,692 in 2023, and 5,090 in 2024, with the number reaching 691 by May 2026.

Thus, the number of Kuwaiti tourists to Indonesia rose from 75 in 2021 to 5,166 in 2025, an increase of 6,788 percent, according to figures cited in the ambassador’s statement, indicating an exceptional surge.

Regarding the Indonesian community, Mariana clarified that Kuwait has become home to more than 6,000 Indonesian citizens, most of whom work in the health, oil and gas, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors.

On the foreign policy front, the ambassador affirmed that Indonesia pursues a policy of non-alignment, driven by its belief that the international system is moving toward multipolarity and that the era of unipolar centrality has ended.

She stated that Indonesia is working to build relationships and partnerships with all friendly countries to achieve common interests and the welfare of the international community, emphasizing that her country does not align with any specific bloc or state, but rather stands by the principles of truth, justice, and sovereignty.