RI and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Transportation Cooperation, Covering Aviation to Railways

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi. (Photo: Ministry of Transportation)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government and Saudi Arabia have agreed to strengthen and expand cooperation in the transportation sector. The collaboration between the two countries will cover various fields, ranging from aviation, maritime, railways, to human resource development (HRD).

The commitment was conveyed by the Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi when receiving the Minister of Transport and Logistics of Saudi Arabia Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser at the Ministry of Transportation Office, Jakarta, on Monday, July 13.

Dudy said cooperation in the transportation sector between the Indonesian Government and the Government of Saudi Arabia has been established for a long time.

"I really appreciate this. On this occasion, I would like to reiterate that the Government of Indonesia through the Ministry of Transportation is committed to continue to strengthen this cooperation, even expanding its reach," said Dudy in an official statement, Tuesday, July 14.

During the meeting, Indonesia welcomed the initiative of the Saudi Arabian Government to draft a number of new memorandums of understanding (MoU).

The proposed cooperation includes transportation safety investigations, the maritime sector, railways, to technical cooperation in the field of civil aviation.

Dudy said the Ministry of Transportation would assign a technical team to discuss and resolve the proposed memorandum of understanding in accordance with the target time set.

In the aviation sector, Dudy said that cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia has been ongoing since the signing of the Air Transport Agreement in 1988.

According to Dudy, the relationship continues to be strengthened as connectivity and air travel demand between the two countries increase.

"I need to say, the discussion regarding air services between the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics of Saudi Arabia which took place in June 2025 resulted in a mutually beneficial agreement. One of the agreed upon is the expansion of operational points, including Yogyakarta and Banda Aceh. This needs to be continued, considering the demand for air travel from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia or vice versa continues to show an increase," he said.

Dudy also appreciated the commitment of Saudi airlines to continue serving the Indonesian market, especially for the needs of umrah pilgrims.

In addition, one of Indonesia's private airlines has also increased the frequency of scheduled flights to Jeddah and Madinah since December 2025.

"In the future, I believe there is still much room for us to continue to work together in the air transportation sector. One important thing, we need to ensure fair and profitable opportunities for airlines of both countries, improve service quality, and maintain compliance with each country's regulations," explained Dudy.

On that occasion, Dudy also asked for the support of the Government of Saudi Arabia for Indonesia's candidacy as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council at the Extraordinary Session which will take place in Montreal in November 2026.

"We are very happy to be able to become a member of the ICAO Council and to be able to contribute to the safe, secure, inclusive, and sustainable global civil aviation. Therefore, we hope to receive support from the Government of Saudi Arabia in this nomination," he said.

In addition to discussing transportation connectivity, the two countries also explored opportunities for cooperation in human resources development through capacity building, internship programs, placement of Indonesian transportation school graduates in Saudi Arabian transportation companies, as well as exchange of lecturers, experts, and joint training.

"The transportation academy in Indonesia produces skilled graduates in the fields of aviation, maritime, land transport, and railways who are ready to contribute to the transportation industry in Saudi Arabia. I am confident that this kind of cooperation will be mutually beneficial for both countries," said Dudy.