Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia's expanding network of international trade agreements serves as a strategic catalyst for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), Trade Minister Budi Santoso noted.Budi highlighted that securing trade pacts with key economic partners, including the United States and the European Union, enhances the nation's appeal to global investors seeking expanded market access.”Our increasing number of trade agreements, including with the United States and later with the EU, is attracting investment,” Budi said, following the Indonesia-Thailand Business Forum in Jakarta on Tuesday.He explained that foreign enterprises based in nations lacking direct preferential trade access to Western markets can utilize Indonesia as an investment destination to channel goods into European and American economies.”Because many countries do not yet have trade agreements with the US or the EU, they lack easy market access. That is why foreign investment in Indonesia is crucial for these companies to penetrate European and American markets,” he added.Budi emphasized that the US market remains a vital destination for Indonesian exports, generating a trade surplus of approximately US$18.11 billion in the previous year—making it the nation's largest trade surplus ahead of India.As the US market accounts for approximately 11.1 percent of Indonesia's total exports, he reiterated the government's commitment to securing a formal trade agreement with the US to solidify market access and boost export volume.“We must have an agreement with the US because our market there is very large, as evidenced by the US$18.11 billion surplus,” Budi emphasized.Amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and evolving global trade patterns, Budi expressed strong optimism about Indonesia's export performance through strategic adaptation measures.To capitalize on these shifts, the Indonesian government is expediting negotiations for trade deals with other strategic regions, including the Middle East, to broaden export market diversification.