UK and Indonesia agree £4bn maritime programme
From Johannesburg on Saturday 22 November 2025, the Prime Minister spoke with Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto. Both leaders welcomed a new £4bn maritime partnership, and compared notes on Gaza and efforts to tighten pressure on Russian energy revenues, according to Downing Street.
Here’s the substance of the deal as publicly described. Britain and Indonesia have agreed a major maritime partnership centred on building vessels in Indonesia using British design and know‑how, led by UK firm Babcock; Reuters reports the agreement will support around 1,000 UK jobs. Downing Street frames the package as the basis for a longer defence relationship.
Why this matters for you as a learner: Indonesia sits astride some of the world’s busiest sea routes, so maritime capacity and training are not just about ships but about safe trade, food supply, and environmental protection. When leaders talk about partnerships, they’re usually talking about skills, standards and maintenance as much as hardware.
Beyond ships, both sides said they would deepen links in education and economic growth. For students and early‑career readers, that points to more technical courses, exchanges and research projects in areas such as engineering and digital ship design - the sort of pathways you might be choosing now.
On Gaza, the Prime Minister welcomed Indonesia’s commitment to contribute to an International Stabilisation Force. Five days earlier, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2803 authorising a temporary force and a transitional Board of Peace, with 13 votes in favour and abstentions from Russia and China.
Indonesia has said it can ready up to 20,000 personnel - many of them medics and engineers - for such a mission, noting its participation should follow an international mandate, which now exists after the UN vote. That framing comes from the country’s defence leadership and state media reporting.
Quick explainer: a stabilisation force is built to secure streets, protect civilians and escort aid while vetted local policing and services are rebuilt. The UN text says Gaza’s temporary force and transitional administration are authorised through 2027, subject to further Security Council decisions.
On Ukraine, the UK message to partners is to go further and faster in cutting Kremlin energy income. Recent steps include lowering the oil price cap to $47.60 per barrel on 2 September 2025, with enforcement set out by the UK’s sanctions authority.
Another step flagged by officials is a UK move to ban maritime services - such as shipping and insurance - for Russian liquefied natural gas from 2026, while EU energy ministers have backed a full ban on Russian energy from 1 January 2028. These shifts tighten financial flows to Moscow.
What this means in practical terms: co‑operation like this maritime deal blends defence exports with training and high‑value jobs at home. For UK readers, the publicly stated figure is around 1,000 roles linked to the programme; for Indonesian readers, the emphasis is on building skills and capacity in local yards.
Media literacy tip you can use in class: match the government line with independent reporting. Here, the short Downing Street readout confirms the call topics; wire services add detail on jobs and industrial lead firms. Always note the date, who is speaking, and what’s still to be decided.
What to watch next: a shipbuilding timeline in Indonesia, decisions on when and how the Gaza stabilisation force deploys, and further sanctions enforcement updates from the UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. The two leaders said they plan to speak again.