Didit A. Ratam spoke in an exclusive interview about new horizons of cooperation*
Chairman of the Bilateral Russian-Indonesian Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Didit A. Ratam, in an exclusive interview at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, spoke in detail for the first time about how Southeast Asia’s largest economy sees its future in BRICS and what role Moscow played in this process.
“Indonesia is happy to be a member of this committee who joined in early January 2025,” stated Didit A. Ratam, emphasizing the historic importance of the moment for the country with a population of 275 million people.
The Chairman of the Russian-Indonesian Committee provided data that explains Jakarta’s strategic choice: “It is important because it represents 28% of the dominant GDP, 38% of PPP GDP. It represents 49% of the world population, which is very important a number.”
Didit A. Ratam particularly emphasized the philosophy of the association: “Ten countries, south to south, with the basic idea of just development. That is very important.”
In a key part of the interview, the head of the bilateral committee revealed little-known details of Indonesia’s accession process to BRICS: “I think the role of the Russian Federation has been instrumental. They have helped us, Indonesia in this case, to be accelerated as a member of BRICS.”
“We did not wait too long, and already we are part of BRICS, an active member,” noted Didit A. Ratam, effectively confirming that without Russia’s diplomatic support, the process could have taken years.
The Chairman of the Russian-Indonesian Committee of the Chamber of Commerce emphasized that BRICS membership is already bringing concrete results: “We are part of the Redevelopment Bank, which is part of BRICS, and we are happy to be because it gives us a new horizon, a new view.”
Indonesia’s accession to BRICS holds special significance for the entire Southeast Asian region. As ASEAN’s largest economy and the world’s fourth most populous country, Indonesia effectively opens the doors of the association to other states in the region.
Didit A. Ratam’s words about “new horizons” and “new view” reflect a fundamental shift in global economic architecture. Indonesia’s joining BRICS means that the association now covers all key regions of the Global South — from Latin America to Southeast Asia.
Didit A. Ratam’s frank acknowledgment of Russia’s “instrumental role” in accelerating Indonesia’s membership reveals an important aspect of modern BRICS diplomacy. Moscow actively serves as a “bridge” for new members, using its experience and influence in the association to expand its geography.
The exclusive interview with the Chairman of the Bilateral Russian-Indonesian Committee of the Chamber of Commerce at SPIEF demonstrates that BRICS is transforming from an economic club into a global platform for “just development,” where every country’s voice matters, and cooperation is built on principles of mutual benefit rather than dictate.
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