The UK and Indonesia have agreed a £4 billion Maritime Partnership Programme led by Babcock to co-develop Indonesian naval capability and more than 1,000 fishing vessels. Downing Street said the Prime Minister would confirm the programme in a call from the G20 Summit on 22 November, with the government presenting the deal as a contribution to Indo‑Pacific security, freedom of navigation and a rules‑based order. The announcement was published on 21 November and updated on 22 November 2025.
Vessels will be built in Indonesia using British shipbuilding expertise. The government expects the arrangement to support around 1,000 UK jobs, concentrated at Babcock’s Rosyth yard with further roles in Bristol and Devonport. Babcock has confirmed it will act as prime industrial partner on the programme.
For Indonesia, officials highlight investment into domestic shipyards, support for coastal communities and a link to national food security objectives through a modernised fishing fleet. Separately, the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has set a target to modernise 1,582 fishing vessels, aligning with the programme’s focus on new boats.
Defence cooperation provides the backdrop. The UK Carrier Strike Group visited Jakarta during its Indo‑Pacific deployment in June, while HMS Spey called at Tanjung Priok in January. Government statements say the partnership will allow expanded interoperability and joint training between the two navies.
Sustainability is baked into delivery via the UK’s £500 million Blue Planet Fund. In January 2025 the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office launched the Indonesia Country Plan and the COAST programme, covering fisheries management, marine conservation and coastal resilience. A 2023 ICAI review criticised early coordination and oversight; the move to country plans is part of the response.
Officials also flag technology transfer and joint research on advanced shipbuilding practices, including automation and artificial intelligence, with links between UK and Indonesian universities in precision engineering and digital ship design. The aim is to develop long‑term skills in both workforces alongside industrial capacity.
Ministers frame the agreement within a wider export push. Recent deals include up to £8 billion for 20 Typhoon jets to Türkiye, which the government says will sustain a 20,000‑strong UK workforce, and Norway’s selection of British Type 26 frigates in a £10 billion partnership expected to support around 4,000 UK jobs.
The industrial relationship with Indonesia predates this announcement. In November 2024 Babcock signed an MoU with PT Len Industri on maritime defence capability, and previously licensed its Arrowhead 140 frigate design to PT PAL for local construction-establishing a pathway for wider collaboration.
Immediate delivery work now turns to implementation: confirming workshare and sequencing in Indonesian yards, setting out training pipelines for crews and maintainers, and aligning Blue Planet Fund activity with vessel deployment and fisheries management. UK and Indonesian authorities say these elements will be developed jointly.
For UK suppliers, the programme signals demand in systems integration, digital design and through‑life support linked to Rosyth, Bristol and Devonport. For Indonesia, fleet renewal is intended to underpin sustainable fisheries management and maritime security outcomes. Further guidance from both governments is expected as the partnership moves from announcement to delivery.