ISLAMABAD: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit Pakistan on Dec. 8-9 to explore avenues to enhance bilateral cooperation with Islamabad in trade, defense, investment, health, education and other sectors, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday. 

Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with Indonesia, with diplomatic relations between the two countries established in 1950. The volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Indonesia surged to $2.6 billion in 2020, as per official data. 

Subianto, who will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising key ministers and senior officials, will mark his maiden visit to Pakistan. The last Indonesian president to visit Pakistan was in 2018 when Joko Widodo arrived in the country.

“The two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at further strengthening Pakistan-Indonesia relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation, including trade, investment, defense, health, IT, climate, education and culture, as well as enhancing collaboration at regional and global levels,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

“Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit.”

During his visit, Subianto will hold delegation-level talks with Pakistan’s prime minister and meet the country’s president and chief of defense forces. 

“The visit of President Prabowo will provide an important opportunity to deepen bilateral ties and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, contributing to the continued growth and diversification of the partnership between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.

Indonesia is also home to a few hundred Pakistani expatriates, many of whom are engaged in businesses such as restaurants, hand-knotted carpets, precious stones, textile items, and herbal medicines.