15-8-2024 (CANBERRA) Australia and Indonesia are poised to elevate their defence relationship to unprecedented levels. Whilst falling short of a formal military alliance, the impending agreement signifies a substantial step forward in bilateral relations between the two nations.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles is scheduled to visit Indonesia later this month to sign the upgraded agreement with his counterpart, Prabowo Subianto, who is set to assume Indonesia’s presidency in October. This diplomatic manoeuvre comes on the heels of Prabowo’s planned trip to Canberra, where he will meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The forthcoming agreement, initially announced in February, has been hailed by Marles as “the deepest, most significant defence agreement” in the history of both nations. However, experts caution against interpreting this development through the narrow lens of US-China rivalry.
Natalie Sambhi, executive director of Verve Research and lecturer at Deakin University, Australian War College, notes that while Indonesia may be open to deepening security cooperation with international partners, it has consistently eschewed formal treaty-like defence arrangements. This stance reflects Indonesia’s long-standing commitment to non-alignment in global affairs.
The upgraded agreement is expected to focus on enhancing people-to-people ties and the ‘soft-power elements’ of defence relationships, such as engagement, exchanges, education, and training exercises. Evan Laksmana, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, suggests that this approach is unlikely to immediately evolve into technological cooperation or joint warfighting experiences.
The relationship between Australia and Indonesia has weathered numerous challenges over the past 75 years of diplomatic relations. From the annulment of a 1995 security pact following Australia’s peacekeeping mission in East Timor to diplomatic tensions arising from wiretapping allegations in 2013, the bilateral relationship has demonstrated resilience and adaptability.
Recent years have seen a marked improvement in ties, with Australia participating in joint military exercises such as Super Garuda Shield since 2022. The integration of Indonesian army cadets into the Australian Royal Military College further underscores the growing closeness between the two nations’ defence establishments.
As Indonesia prepares for a change in leadership, with Prabowo Subianto at the helm, analysts anticipate continuity in the country’s ‘friends-to-all’ foreign policy approach. This balancing act is evident in Indonesia’s recent engagement with both Western-aligned nations and China, including the first ‘2+2’ talks between Chinese and Indonesian diplomats and military officials in Jakarta.
