Australia and Indonesia Sign New Security Agreement

Darwin, 07 February:

Australia and Indonesia signed a security agreement on Friday. The deal promises closer cooperation between Australia and Southeast Asian nation Indonesia and paves the way for the establishment of new military training facilities.

AFP reported the news from Jakarta.

Following the signing, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement that under the agreement, a senior Indonesian officer will be embedded within the Australian Defence Force as part of defence initiatives.

He added that Australia will assist in developing military training facilities to enhance the capacity for joint exercises with Indonesia.

Canberra is seeking to strengthen its military capabilities to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

On the other hand, Indonesia takes a more cautious approach in its foreign policy. It aims to maintain good relations with China, as China is its largest trading partner.

Albanese described the agreement as a historic moment in the relationship between the two countries.

He said, “Australia and Indonesia share one of the world’s longest maritime borders, which naturally makes us close partners. But today, we are not just partners—we are close friends.”

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the new agreement represents a “strong commitment to the good-neighbour policy” and reflects Indonesia’s “independent and active” foreign policy.

He added, “We believe this agreement will become one of the key pillars of stability and cooperation in our region.”

Albanese is in Jakarta on his fifth official visit, which is scheduled to conclude on Saturday.

He described the agreement as a major expansion of security and defence cooperation between the two countries and praised Indonesia’s growing investment in Australia.

The agreement builds on a 2024 defence pact that pledged closer cooperation in the increasingly competitive Asia-Pacific region. A few months after that agreement, thousands of Indonesian and Australian troops conducted joint military exercises in East Java.