Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – Indonesia and Australia have announced a plan to expand their security cooperation through joint exercises, the development of a training facility and broader regional cooperation that would involve partners such as Japan and Papua New Guinea.
On Thursday, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles held a meeting with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in the ministry's office in Jakarta as part of the former's visit to Jakarta.
After a closed-door discussion where he briefed Marles on "updates on global developments" impacting Indonesia, Sjafrie announced to reporters a plan for a trilateral security cooperation between Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The three countries are also slated for a trilateral meeting in December.
"The Indonesia-Australia bilateral cooperation is now being expanded into a trilateral format, [...] specifically in the area of defense professionalism," Sjafrie said in a live-streamed press briefing.
He added the two ministers also discussed developing another cooperation agreement with Japan.
At a separate briefing, Marlers said the expanded trilateral cooperation was "a really important piece of architecture" to build a sense of confidence in the shared security to advance peace and stability within the region.
He emphasized any upcoming trilaterals would focus purely on confidence-building measures and were not directed at any external parties.
"This is not about any other third country," Marles said. "This is about building the shared capability between Indonesia and Australia, and building our defense relationship."
Training facility proposal
Both ministers also talked about the implementation of the Treaty of Common Security, which was signed by President Prabowo Subianto and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the latter's visit to Jakarta in February.
The agreement stipulates shared commitment for regular consultation on shared security concerns and closer defense cooperation, including coordinated responses if either nation faces challenges affecting their common security.
Marles said coordination between Canberra and Jakarta will be institutionalized through several new initiatives, including embedding Indonesian Military (TNI) officers in Australia, expanding Junior Leaders Forum between both nations and developing a training facility on Morotai Island in North Maluku.
During the meeting, both officials discussed a proposal to upgrade the Morotai site's existing defense infrastructure. Marles added the facility would belong to Indonesia, but with opportunities "for Australia to engage in training there", depending on how Indonesia decides how the site would be used.
Sjafrie also said military personnel from the Philippines, Australia and Singapore would have access to the facility, as well as another in North Kalimantan currently being developed with Singapore.
Indonesian troops will also join at least three major Australian-led exercises this year, namely Exercise Kakadu later this month focusing on maritime capabilities, Exercise Pitch Black in July with Indonesian Air Force personnel and Exercise Kriswumara in October, which will involve more than 2,000 personnel.
"We are at a high watermark in terms of the closeness of the relationship between Australia and Indonesia," Marles said.
"In what is obviously a challenging world, it was clear for both Pak Sjafrie and myself that we need to be making sure that we are taking steps forward in this bilateral relationship," he continued.
Marles landed in Jakarta on Wednesday and had dinner with President Prabowo in his residence at Jl. Kertanegara, South Jakarta. They were joined by Sjafrie and Foreign Minister Sugiono.
According to a statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat, discussions during the dinner covered broader strategic issues and regional developments affecting both countries. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regional stability through closer Indonesia-Australia security and defense cooperation.