Deeper Indonesia-Australia cooperation to secure Indo-Pacific
During their annual foreign and defense ministers' meeting on Aug. 26, the two neighbors pledged to deepen cooperation with a particular view to enhancing security in the Indo-Pacific amid rising global power rivalry and food and energy shocks from the Mideast war.
Indonesia and Australia convened their 10th annual 2+2 foreign and defense ministers meeting in Melbourne on August 26 to pledge deeper cooperation in securing the Indo-Pacific region. Recognizing the increasing global power rivalry and disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, the two nations pledged to strengthen security, maritime affairs, and regional resilience.
During the talks, Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles, along with Foreign Minister Sugiono and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, emphasized their commitment to implementing the Treaty on Common Security. Signed in February, the treaty obligates both countries to engage in regular consultations and cooperative efforts to tackle shared security challenges.
The ministerial discussions centered on enhancing military exercises, personnel exchanges, defense industry collaboration, and maritime domain awareness. A key focus was on coordinating patrols and joint military exercises, such as the upcoming Keris Woomera drill in October, to bolster military interoperability.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles highlighted the significance of the bilateral relationship in safeguarding the national security interests of both nations. He affirmed their shared commitment to the rules-based order and their role as maritime nations deeply invested in maintaining stability worldwide.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
