Indonesia, Australia to broaden security cooperation to include Japan, Papua New Guinea
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Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles (right) with his Indonesian counterpart, Mr Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, after their meeting in Jakarta on March 12.
PHOTO: AFP
Indonesia’s Defence Minister said on March 12 that his country and Australia are planning to expand their security cooperation with both Japan and Papua New Guinea through separate trilateral arrangements.
“Trilateral cooperation will be developed among Indonesia, Australia and Japan,” Mr Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told reporters after a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Mr Richard Marles, in Jakarta.
He added there will also be a similar security arrangement between Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
During the meeting, Mr Sjafrie and Mr Marles also discussed the possibility of developing a training defence facility on the island of Morotai in North Maluku province in eastern Indonesia, which was used during World War II.
Mr Sjafrie proposed that the facility could be used by military personnel from countries such as Japan, Australia, the Philippines and Singapore.
Bilaterally, Indonesia and Australia have been bolstering their defence cooperation, having signed a defence treaty in February in Jakarta.
In recent years, Australia has been ramping up its security ties with other countries in the region amid China’s increasing assertiveness. In 2025, it signed a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea, elevating their ties to a formal alliance. KYODO NEWS
