Jakarta, October 29, 2026 – The Europe Today: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto received Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at his presidential retreat in Hambalang, Bogor District, West Java, on Wednesday, October 28, for a closed-door meeting aimed at maintaining strong bilateral relations and strengthening communication between the neighbouring countries.
According to Indonesia’s Cabinet Secretariat, President Prabowo agreed to receive Balakrishnan following a request from the Singaporean foreign minister, who made an unexpected visit to Indonesia earlier that day.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said the president’s willingness to meet his Singaporean counterpart reflected his attention to the concerns of neighbouring countries and Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining constructive relations with friendly nations, particularly within Southeast Asia.
The meeting followed high-level bilateral talks between Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir and Balakrishnan in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 27, during which the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, particularly forest and land fires that had caused thick haze to reach Singapore.
During the discussions, Nasir informed his Singaporean counterpart that tackling forest and land fires had been designated a top national priority by the Indonesian government.
He said President Prabowo had directed relevant authorities to intensify the national response, improve coordination and sustain efforts to combat the fires by mobilizing all available national resources.
Nasir acknowledged the concerns of neighbouring countries over the cross-border impact of the haze and expressed appreciation for offers of assistance from regional partners, including Singapore, to support Indonesia’s firefighting efforts.
However, he noted that all offers of assistance would be assessed by the relevant Indonesian authorities in accordance with requirements and conditions on the ground.
Indonesia and Singapore have also agreed to establish a joint task force to strengthen cooperation in addressing forest and land fires and mitigating their environmental and regional impacts.
The high-level engagements underscore the importance both countries attach to bilateral communication, regional cooperation and coordinated responses to shared environmental challenges.
As close neighbours and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia and Singapore continue to work towards maintaining stable relations and addressing issues that affect regional environmental security and public welfare.
