Indonesia Invited to Kazan Forum as Russia Highlights Islamic Economy
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergey Tolchenov, expressed his intention to strengthen economic relations with Indonesia, especially in cooperation based on Islamic values. Sergey highlighted that Russia has a large Muslim population, estimated to reach 15-20 million people.
Several regions in Russia have a majority of Muslim inhabitants. According to Tolchenov, Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, is an administrative center with a large Muslim population in Russia.
”We invite Indonesia to participate in the Kazan Forum, a platform for economic cooperation covering various aspects of Islamic economy such as halal, Shariah, and other fields,” Tolchenov said during an iftar event at his residence on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
He hopes Indonesia can join the Kazan Forum, which is designed to facilitate discussions and economic cooperation based on Islamic values.
Ramadan is also used to help bridge the cultural gap with Indonesia. Like in Indonesia, Muslim Russians also observe fasting during Ramadan.
Interestingly, the Orthodox Christians in Russia also fast, which has some similarities, though not the same as the Muslims.
”The Orthodox fast is not as strict as Ramadan. We do not refrain from eating since 6 in the morning, but we do not consume meat and consume more fruits,” Sergey emphasized, highlighting the cultural similarities that can be the foundation for closer relations between the two countries.
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Russia and Indonesia plan to sign a memorandum on cooperation in the field of halal
The Russian Federation is interested in establishing supplies and diversifying exports of halal products to the Indonesian market. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Vladimir Ilyichev during the next online meeting of the Russian-Indonesian working group on trade, industry and investment, according to the MAYOR’s website.
During the online meeting of the working group on trade, the parties discussed the dynamics and prospects for the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The parties discussed the issues of expanding the access of Russian products to the Indonesian market. The text of the memorandum of understanding between Rosaccreditation and the Quality Assurance Agency for Halal Products in Indonesia has been finalized.
“In 2024, bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia increased by 2.4%. Our country has managed to increase the supply of mineral products to Indonesia by 4% and increase food supplies, primarily wheat, by 13%,” said Vladimir Ilyichev, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Economic Development.
According to him, the free trade agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia, which is scheduled to be signed by the end of this year, will contribute to an even greater increase in trade turnover between the countries.
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