JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia and Australia have signed a defense agreement that marks a significant upgrade to their military relationship. The Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by Indonesia’s president-elect, who also serves as defense minister, and the Australian Defense Minister at Indonesia’s National Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java province.
The agreement, described as an important piece of international architecture, is not a military alliance but aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries. Both nations plan to conduct their largest joint military exercise in November, which will be Australia's largest overseas exercise of the year.
The strengthening bilateral relationship is seen as crucial for Australia amid escalating tensions with China in the region. It is customary for new Australian prime ministers to prioritize Jakarta as one of their initial overseas destinations.
Indonesia's president-elect emphasized the importance of working together as neighbors to address security threats and promote peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. The defense agreement will focus on areas such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian and disaster relief, logistics support, education and training, and defense industry collaboration.
Both countries hailed the agreement as the most significant defense pact in their bilateral history. Indonesia's Defense Ministry highlighted the collaborative efforts aimed at preventing future security threats in the Asia-Pacific region and maintaining peace and stability through joint initiatives.
