Indonesia, Australia to hold ‘complex’ defence drills as security ties deepen

Marles and Prabowo signed the defence cooperation agreement a week after Indonesia’s president-elect met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Australia to finalise the deal seen as a “vital plank” in the two nation’s defence ties.

The pact comes as Australia seeks to deepen its alliance in Southeast Asia that saw Albanese attend the Asean Summit, visit the Philippines and upgrade ties with Vietnam over the past year.

Indonesia and Australia are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties this year, in a relationship that has swung from extreme tension during the Cold War and following the downfall of former dictator Suharto to relatively warmer ties in recent years.

“I look forward to continuing, supporting and enriching this relationship in the months and years to come,” Prabowo said.

Indonesia has long maintained an open foreign policy approach, and Marles told Prabowo that Australia understands this non-alignment stance.

“That is the heritage of this country, and we respect it,” Marles said. “It is very much in Australia’s interest to have a non-aligned Indonesia as our closest neighbour.”