Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, visited Indonesia June 11-14, to meet with senior military and government officials as the two nations celebrate the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Indonesia bilateral relations.
Paparo’s first official visit to Indonesia as the commander of USINDOPACOM demonstrates the U.S. commitment to supporting the modernization of Indonesia’s defense forces and highlights support for Association of Southeastern Asian Nations centrality and the ASEAN Outlook in the Indo-Pacific.
During his visit, Paparo held discussions exploring ways to enhance cooperation in the areas of maritime security; humanitarian aid/disaster relief and peacekeeping; and bilateral and multilateral military exercises, such as this year’s iteration of Super Garuda Shield, the U.S.’ largest military exercise with Indonesia and one of the largest in the Indo-Pacific region.
Paparo met with Gen. Agus Subiyanto, commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces; retired Lt. Gen. M. Herindra, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia; Vice Adm. Erwin S. Aldedharma, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy; and Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, Director of the National Disaster Management Agency.
During a panel discussion with Dr. Raditya Jati, Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency Deputy Minister of System and Strategy, and Jeff Cohen, USAID Mission Director Indonesia, Paparo underscored the U.S. support for Indonesian disaster response and preparedness strategies. The panel emphasized the importance of interoperability, communication and coordination between militaries, local governments, non-government organizations and religious organizations. They also discussed the value of learning from past disasters and the need for quick response strategies, capacity building, risk mapping and contingency planning.
While in Indonesia, Paparo was a keynote speaker at a ceremony recognizing cadets from the Indonesian Military Academy as they depart for a cultural exchange with the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy. These exchanges serve as an important symbol of friendship, cooperation and partnership between the U.S. and Indonesia.
In November 2023, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto signed a historic Defense Cooperation Arrangement and discussed ways to expand training opportunities, increase educational exchanges, and improve maritime domain awareness. Under the new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the U.S. and Indonesia are expanding cooperation on all issues of common concern, including fostering peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.
People-to-people ties between the U.S. and Indonesia are anchored in shared values of democracy, and a common commitment to the rules-based international order, ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.
