India, Indonesia agree to deepen defence ties

New Delhi, Nov 27: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, co-chaired the third India–Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi, reaffirming their strategic partnership and agreeing to further strengthen defence cooperation.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific, guided by international law and respect for sovereignty.

They noted the shared principles between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, with Indonesia calling India a “key partner” in regional peace and cooperation. The ministers reviewed progress in military-to-military engagements, including joint exercises such as Super Garuda Shield, Garuda Shakti, Samudra Shakti and MILAN, and agreed to expand officer exchanges, joint training and education programmes to bolster interoperability. India proposed establishing a Joint Defence Industry Cooperation Committee to boost collaboration in defence technology, R&D, certification and supply-chain linkages. Indonesia also expressed interest in India’s submarine development experience and defence medical cooperation. The two ministers reaffirmed support for international peace efforts, including a just resolution in Palestine, and discussed possible humanitarian and peacekeeping contributions under UN mandates. India also announced the gifting of horses and a ceremonial carriage to Indonesia from the Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the dialogue and agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and practical cooperation aimed at enhancing stability and security across the Indo-Pacific.