Warsaw – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia) is strengthening its role as a strategic government partner, in accordance with the mandate of Law No. 1 of 1987 on the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, by supporting national economic development through the expansion of international business relations.

Kadin Indonesia’s trade mission to Poland, held on November 4–5, 2026, aimed to explore trade and investment opportunities, gain insights into Poland’s economic transformation, identify Poland’s potential as a gateway for distributing Indonesian products to European markets, and strengthen bilateral cooperation through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Kadin Indonesia delegation was led by its Foreign Relations Department and included Bernardino M. Vega, Vice Chairman for Foreign Relations; Maria Josefina Budisusanto, Chair of the Standing Committee on Europe; Agus Nurudin, Chair of the Bilateral Committee on Türkiye; and Helga L. Kumontoy, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Asia Pacific, along with other delegates representing Indonesian businesses from various industry sectors.

Bilateral Trade Reaches USD 1.15 Billion

Indonesia and Poland have maintained diplomatic relations since 1955, with economic cooperation between the two countries continuing to develop. In 2025, bilateral trade reached USD 1.15 billion, representing a 3.18% increase compared to the previous year. Indonesia’s exports to Poland amounted to USD 897.5 million, while imports from Poland reached USD 254.2 million.

These figures demonstrate opportunities to expand market access, diversify traded products, and strengthen mutually beneficial investment partnerships and business relations. For Kadin Indonesia, these efforts are not solely focused on increasing exports but also on developing investment opportunities and partnerships that generate added value for both countries.

Furthermore, the development of economic cooperation between Indonesia and the European Union through the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) also has the potential to create broader opportunities for businesses. As the agreement progresses through its signing, ratification, and implementation preparations, businesses need to start identifying potential products and sectors, understanding trade regulations, and preparing strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian products in European markets.

As one of Indonesia’s potential partners in Central Europe, Poland could serve as a strategic gateway for expanding the reach of Indonesian products across international markets. Understanding market characteristics, distribution networks, and logistics costs will be essential to translating trade opportunities into increased exports and tangible business partnerships.

Learning from Poland’s Economic Transformation

During the Business Forum with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), a session titled “Poland Economic Transformation and Trade Investment Opportunities” explored Poland’s economic transformation experience, including key lessons from the country's efforts to overcome the middle-income trap.

The forum was also attended by Miłosz Motyka, Poland’s Minister of Energy, and Michał Jaros, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology. The participation of Polish government representatives and the business community formed an important part of the dialogue on economic transformation and trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

Bernardino M. Vega, Vice Chairman of Kadin Indonesia for Foreign Relations, emphasized the importance of drawing lessons from other countries’ experiences to accelerate Indonesia’s economic transformation.

“Indonesia needs to pursue bold economic transformation to avoid remaining trapped in the middle-income category for too long and to successfully advance into the high-income country category. Poland’s experience offers important lessons for Indonesia in understanding how consistent economic transformation can drive greater competitiveness and improve public welfare,” Bernardino stated.

The discussion is also expected to continue in Indonesia in late November 2026. The Polish Embassy in Indonesia plans to bring speakers from Poland to share their experiences in economic transformation and the lessons learned in addressing the middle-income trap. This initiative is expected to deepen knowledge exchange and create opportunities for more concrete dialogue on strategies to improve Indonesia’s productivity and economic competitiveness.

Kadin–KIG MoU Expands Opportunities for Business Collaboration

One of the key agendas of the business mission was the signing of an MoU between Kadin Indonesia and the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG). The agreement provides a foundation for strengthening relations between the two chambers of commerce, facilitating communication among business communities, and exploring joint initiatives to promote increased trade and investment between the two countries.

“What we want to achieve is to ensure that this MoU translates into tangible business cooperation rather than stopping at the signing of a document. Through Kadin and KIG, we aim to open up greater opportunities for Indonesian and Polish companies to connect, identify suitable business partners, and develop concrete trade and investment opportunities,” said Bernardino M. Vega, Vice Chairman of Kadin Indonesia for Foreign Relations.

As a follow-up, the cooperation is expected to be implemented through market information exchanges, business matchmaking activities, and the exploration of partnerships between companies in potential sectors. These initiatives are essential to ensuring that the institutional relationship established through the agreement translates into tangible business opportunities and mutual benefits.

Exploring the Port of Gdańsk as a Gateway for Logistics to Europe

The visit to the Port of Gdańsk formed part of Kadin Indonesia’s efforts to gain a better understanding of port infrastructure and connectivity in supporting international trade. As one of the key logistics hubs in the Baltic Sea region, the Port of Gdańsk offers maritime connectivity and distribution networks with the potential to support the movement of goods from Asia to Poland and other European markets.

The port is expected to serve as an entry point and distribution gateway for Indonesian products into European markets. Optimizing distribution routes and selecting the right logistics hubs can help reduce logistics costs, improve price competitiveness, and expand the market reach of Indonesian products in their destination markets.

Cultural Diplomacy through Bali Indah Cultural Park

Beyond strengthening trade and investment relations, Indonesia and Poland also have opportunities to develop collaboration through cultural and tourism promotion. One initiative reflecting this potential is Bali Indah Cultural Park, located in the Dolina Charlotty area of Słupsk, Poland, and developed by Mirosław Wawrowski, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Gdańsk.

The cultural park serves as a platform for introducing Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage to the Polish public while strengthening people-to-people relations between the two countries. This potential collaboration could be further explored to expand the promotion of Indonesian products and destinations, build business networks, and create cooperation opportunities that generate economic benefits for both countries.

Turning Business Exploration into Tangible Opportunities

Going forward, Kadin Indonesia encourages concrete follow-up actions from the trade mission through the mapping of potential products and sectors, facilitation of business-to-business meetings, exploration of investment opportunities, and implementation of joint work programs with KIG and relevant partners in Poland.

Through stronger synergies with the government and international business partners, Kadin Indonesia remains committed to expanding market access, strengthening business networks, and fostering partnerships that generate added value for both countries.

With focused and sustained follow-up efforts, the strengthening of Indonesia–Poland economic relations is expected to generate more tangible and sustainable business opportunities.