The paper provides an overview of the reports presented at the conference "Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region: current problems of development", which was held in the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences on December 18, 2019. In the annual inter-institute conference of Orientalists organized by the Center for Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania studies academics, as well as applicants and post-graduates from various academic, research and educational institutions, participated.

The article provides a brief overview of the development of Soviet/Russian-Indonesian relations, from the official establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries in 1950 to the present. Particular attention is paid to the current period and prospects for the development of bilateral relations in the context of the global transformation of the world associated with Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

The article analyzes the modern cooperation of Indonesia with the leading countries of the world and the ASEAN countries in the field of military-technical cooperation. Indonesia maintains military-technical ties with the Russian Federation, the USA, China, Europe, the countries of Southeast Asia and other countries of the world. Indonesia has repeatedly stated its desire to become a major center of power and a significant regional power, as a result of which the ruling circles of Indonesia try not to enter into defensive alliances with other states and avoid a strong rapprochement with the major powers of modern times: Russia, the United States and China. We can say that Indonesia, like a pendulum, balances between relationships that are beneficial to it, taking advantage.

Indonesia, as the largest country in Southeast Asia, with vast natural resources and marine waters, the world's largest Muslim state, occupying the most important geostrategic position in the region, cannot but claim to be one of the key places on the Chinese “Аsian chessboard”. In connection with the rapid growth of the economic and political influence of the PRC, which is challenging America on the world stage, Indonesia undoubtedly seeks to take advantage of the current situation and take part in the implementation of Beijing's ambitious plans. Indonesian President Joko Widodo is implementing the concept of the country's economic development by strengthening all-round ties with China within the framework of the conjugation of the Indonesian national concept of the “global marine axis” with the Chinese megaproject “one belt – one road”.

Relations between the two countries have experienced both ups and downs throughout the history of independent Indonesia. Naturally, a fair question arose as to what scenario would develop ties between the two states after Joko Widodo came to power in 2014. This problem, first of all, was the concern of the Indonesian public, because the United States is one of the key players in the global political arena. In this article, the authors examine the key moments in relations between the two countries that have occurred in recent years, and draw conclusions about the still remaining contradictions in their joint activities.