Russia strikes key energy deal with Asian BRICS partner

BRICS member Indonesia has agreed to purchase crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia, citing energy security concerns amid growing global supply disruptions, the Energy Ministry in Jakarta has said.

Indonesia’s crude purchases from Russia have historically been limited and irregular, with Jakarta sourcing roughly a quarter of its oil from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz, presently under US blockade.

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto for extended talks in the Kremlin on Monday and a meeting was held the next day between their respective energy ministers, Sergey Tsivilev and Bahlil Lahadalia.

Indonesia is also seeking to expand cooperation with Russia on long-term oil and LPG supplies, nuclear energy, and the minerals sector, the ministry said.

“We have achieved quite good results, allowing us to increase our crude oil reserves. In addition, we will also be able to obtain LPG,” Bahlil said after the talks on Tuesday. LPG is a liquefied mixture of propane and butane widely used for cooking, heating, and transport. Representatives of several Russian energy companies, including Rosneft, Ruschem, Zarubezhneft, and Lukoil, attended the meeting.

Russian crude could be shipped from Pacific ports in the country’s Far East, with tankers transiting the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca – routes already used to supply China and other Asian buyers. Russia redirected a significant share of its energy exports to Asia following sweeping EU and US sanctions that curtailed its access to Western markets.

Indonesia joined BRICS in 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian member of the bloc, in a move seen as deepening ties with Russia, a founding member, and other non-Western economies.

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