He conveyed this during a tête-à-tête meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.
"I would like to convey that it is with great joy that I return to Indonesia after 17 years. In 2008, we established a strategic partnership, and since then, relations between the two countries have developed very positively," he stated.
According to Lula, this state visit marked an important milestone in refreshing the strategic partnership between the two nations formed in 2008.
He noted that the relations have been positive but have not yet fully utilized the enormous potential of both nations.
"We represent almost 500 million people, around 280 million from Indonesia and 210 million from Brazil. Both are countries with strong developing economies," he remarked.
Lula also highlighted the importance of closer cooperation across various fields, from politics and economics to social and scientific fields.
In addition, he encouraged increased collaboration in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and inter-university relations.
"I come with high hopes of renewing our strategic partnership and exploring new agreements, not only in bilateral trade, but also in investment in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centers, to deepen collaboration in scientific and technological innovation," he stated.
In his view, mutually supportive social policies combined with technological innovation can address the common challenge of enhancing people’s welfare in both countries.
President Lula arrived at the Merdeka Palace at around 10 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), greeted with a state welcome ceremony in the courtyard.
At the Merdeka Palace, President Prabowo and President Lula attended a series of meetings, including a tête-à-tête meeting in the Presidential Office, a bilateral meeting between the Indonesian and Brazilian governments, and the delivery of a joint statement.
Lula's state visit to Jakarta is part of his overseas tour of Southeast Asia, and also a reciprocal visit, as President Prabowo had visited the Brazilian Presidential Palace, Palácio do Planalto, Brasilia, Brazil, on July 9, 2025.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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