24-2-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles have announced their intention to establish a new defense cooperation agreement within the next two to three months. Marles’ visit to Jakarta marks his second meeting with Subianto in less than a year.
At a press conference following their meeting, Subianto stated, “In the near future, we are planning to sign a defense cooperation agreement with Australia. We hope it can be completed and signed in the next two to three months.” Marles confirmed that discussions on broader defense cooperation were in the final stages and expressed optimism that the agreement would be signed in the coming months.
Marles emphasized that the cooperation agreement would be the most significant defense partnership in the history of Indonesia-Australia relations. He described it as a pivotal moment in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Negotiations for enhanced defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia commenced in February 2023, including the 2+2 meeting involving foreign ministers and defense ministers from both nations in Canberra. Subianto and Marles held their meeting at the Ministry of Defense Office in June 2023, during which Marles expressed that the new defense cooperation agreement would be comprehensive and ambitious.
To date, defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia has mainly focused on exchanges of officers and cadets, educational initiatives, joint training programs, and the provision of defense equipment. Notably, Australia supplied the Bushmaster tactical vehicle (rantis) to Indonesia’s Defense Forces’ Peacekeeping Mission Center (PMPP) on April 3, 2023.
During their meeting, Marles also took the opportunity to congratulate Subianto on his lead in the quick count of the 2024 presidential election. Subianto, alongside vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is running for the top positions in the upcoming election. Marles expressed Australia’s keen interest in the election and conveyed his happiness to personally congratulate Subianto, looking forward to their future meetings.
