Indonesia and Australia Finalize a 'Significant' Defense Agreement

Indonesia and Australia Finalize a Significant Defense Agreement

Indonesia and Australia signed a new defense agreement on Thursday, committing to enhanced cooperation to address security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

The agreement, which was announced earlier this month, was formalized during Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles' visit to Indonesia. It includes joint military drills and deployments in both countries.

Both nations aim to strengthen their security ties in response to growing tensions in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, where multiple countries have conflicting territorial claims.

Indonesia's Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto hailed the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement as a "historic milestone," emphasizing its role in boosting collaboration to tackle security threats and fostering lasting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

Prabowo clarified that the agreement is not a military alliance, expressing his desire for even stronger relations with Australia in the future.

Marles described the agreement as the most significant defense arrangement between the two countries, calling it a "treaty-level agreement" that will lead to greater interoperability between their defense forces and allow them to operate from each other's territories.

The pact was initially revealed when president-elect Prabowo, who will succeed President Joko Widodo in October, visited Canberra last week.

In November, the two countries will conduct a joint military exercise in East Java, involving nearly 2,000 military personnel. The exercise, which will cover air, land, sea, and cyber operations, is expected to be "the largest exercise Australia will conduct outside its borders this year," Marles added.