Indonesia and Australia finalise new Defence Treaty
- In Reports
- 07:19 PM, Aug 21, 2024
- Myind Staff
Indonesia and Australia have finalised a new bilateral defence treaty that will enhance the ability of both nations to operate their militaries within each other's territories. The agreement was reached during Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto, who also serves as defence minister, meeting with Australian officials, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles, at the country's Parliament earlier Tuesday.
The treaty is seen as increasingly important to Australia amid growing tensions with China. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted the strategic importance of the relationship, highlighting that new Australian leaders typically prioritise visiting Jakarta early in their tenure. The formal signing of the pact is expected to occur in the coming days when Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles visits Jakarta.
Marles emphasised the treaty's significance for both nations' national security, stating, "What this agreement will do is provide for much greater interoperability between our defence forces, it will provide for many more exercises between our defence forces, it will see us working together in the global commons to support the rules-based order and, importantly, it will allow us to operate from each other’s countries." He further added, "This agreement will be the deepest, the most significant agreement that our two countries have ever made."
Subianto, who is on his first visit to Australia since being elected president in February, described the treaty as “ironing out some legalistic details” and achieving “great progress” in defence cooperation between the two countries. He also expressed his determination to continue fostering the "good neighbour relationship" between Indonesia and Australia, acknowledging that while the two nations have had their "ups and downs," they have enjoyed several decades of close cooperation.
However, Euan Graham, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, raised questions about the strategic value of the pact for Australia, noting that Indonesia, under Subianto's leadership, would remain non-aligned. "The issue is that Indonesia doesn’t share the same threat perception as Australia towards China," Graham explained.
Subianto's visit marks an important milestone in Indonesia-Australia relations. He highlighted that Australian Prime Minister Albanese was the first foreign leader to congratulate him on his election victory. Albanese, who was elected prime minister in 2022 during the tenure of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, expressed his anticipation for attending Subianto’s inauguration in October.
Albanese emphasised the importance of the relationship between the two nations, stating, “There is no more important relationship than the relationship between our two great nations.” He also acknowledged the progress made under President Widodo, which he believes will serve as the foundation for future cooperation under Subianto’s administration.
The finalisation of this defence treaty marks a significant step in the evolving strategic partnership between Indonesia and Australia.
Image source: X/Richard Marles
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