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Indonesia is the largest archipelagic State in the world, comprising over 17,000 islands. It shares maritime boundaries with ten States. Indonesia has now agreed or partially agreed on maritime boundaries with Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, India, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and the Philippines. Of these, Timor-Leste and Palau are the only countries with whom Indonesia is yet to conclude any maritime boundary agreement; however Indonesia has started discussions with both.
In August 2015, Timor-Leste and Indonesia agreed to expand their boundary discussions to include the delimitation of maritime boundaries. The first consultation meeting between the two countries on the permanent delimitation of their maritime boundaries commenced in September 2015.
Three preliminary technical meetings were convened in late 2018 in Bali, and in 2019 in Singapore and Bali.
Since late 2021, Timor-Leste and Indonesia have continued to engage through diplomatic channels to advance the peaceful delimitation of their maritime boundary, in accordance with international law and in the spirit of close neighbourly relations. These efforts have included high-level exchanges and informal meetings aimed at building mutual understanding and paving the way for formal, substantive negotiations.
These sustained engagements led to an important milestone with agreement to commence formal maritime boundary negotiations in 2024. Two rounds of negotiations were subsequently held in 2025: in August in Dili and in December in Yogyakarta.
Formal maritime boundary negotiations are ongoing.
Timor-Leste’s delegation is led by Ms Elizabeth Exposto, Chief Executive Officer of the Land and Maritime Boundary Office and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, under the direction and leadership of H.E. Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
To read more about the maritime boundary talks, click here
This website is hosted by the Maritime Boundary Office of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries to allow readers to learn more about Timor-Leste’s pursuit of permanent maritime boundaries. The Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries and the Maritime Boundary Office do not accept any legal liability for any reliance placed on any information contained in this website (including external links). The information provided is a summary only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. The information and views expressed in this website and in any linked information do not constitute diplomatic representations and do not limit or otherwise affect the rights of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries, the Maritime Boundary Office or the Government of Timor-Leste. The views expressed in any linked information do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries, the Maritime Boundary Office or the Government of Timor-Leste.
GFM is the acronym for “Gabinete das Fronteiras Marítimas”, which is the Portuguese translation of Maritime Boundary Office.