Australia and Indonesia signed a defense agreement in late August 2024, pledging closer cooperation to counter security threats in the Indo-Pacific, including with joint drills and deployments in each country.
The nations are boosting security ties in the face of increased flash points in the region, including the South China Sea, where several states claim sovereignty over disputed islands and waterways.
The agreement is a “historic milestone” that will allow the nations “to help each other overcome various security threats and promote sustainable peace and stability,” Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who also is president-elect, said during a news conference with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles at Indonesia’s National Military Academy in Central Java province.
Marles said the pact is the most significant defense agreement between the countries, hailing it as a “treaty-level agreement.”
“We will see a much greater interoperability between our defense forces, an ability to operate from each other’s countries,” he said.
Australia’s Defence Ministry said the agreement includes “enhanced practical cooperation and interoperability between our defence forces in areas such as maritime security, counter terrorism, humanitarian and disaster relief, logistics support, education and training, as well as across defence industry.”
The countries will hold a joint military exercise in East Java in November 2024, with about 2,000 personnel conducting air, land, sea and cyber drills. It will be “the biggest exercise that Australia will do outside of our nation this year,” Marles said.
