In an effort to reverse the trend of deforestation and forest degradation, several international initiatives have been attempted. Though promoted in different political arenas, Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) – Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) share overlapping objectives of conservation of tropical forests. We explore specialists’ viewpoint on FLEGT-VPA and REDD+ processes in Indonesia with reference to their contribution towards Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). The study shows that FLEGT-VPA and REDD+ regimes contribute towards SFM. While FLEGT-VPA improves enabling condition for SFM through governance reform, improved harvesting practices, and timber legality assurance system, REDD+ supports SFM through institutional strengthening, reforming policies and frameworks, mobilizing new and additional financial resources and increasing social and ecological resilience. We identified opportunities to achieve synergies between REDD+ and FLEGT-VPA by harmonizing their processes, tools, methodologies, technical assistance, capacity-building and funding mechanisms.