A Indonesia–Pakistan Relations: A Geoeconomic Analysis

Abstrak

Indonesia and Pakistan, two of the world’s largest Muslim-majority countries, have maintained cordial relations shaped by anti-colonial solidarity, shared Islamic values, and post-independence diplomatic ties established in 1950. In the context of an evolving Indo-Pacific order marked by intensifying great-power competition, this study examines the following questions: How have Indonesia–Pakistan relationsevolved since 2020 in terms of economic and strategic engagement? What economic opportunities and strategic constraints shape their cooperation within the ASEAN framework? Grounded in a geo-economic analytical framework, the article argues that contemporary Indonesia–Pakistan relations are increasingly pragmatic and interestdriven amid regional geopolitical shifts such as United States–Chinarivalry. The findings reveal that Indonesia, as ASEAN’s key member, offers Pakistan pathways for market access and regional economic integration, while bilateral ties have been strengthened through highlevel visits, preferential trade agreements, and defense cooperation. Nonetheless, these relations face constraints, including trade imbalances, domestic political vulnerabilities, and external pressures stemmingfrom great-power competition. The study concludes that Pakistan could benefit from emulating India’s multi-alignment strategy by balancing relations with Jakarta, Washington, and Beijing to mitigate overdependence on traditional partners and to capitalize on geoeconomic opportunities in a multipolar Asia.