JAKARTA: Indonesia and Australia signed a new bilateral security treaty on Friday, a move both governments say will strengthen defense cooperation and deepen ties between the neighboring countries.
The agreement was signed in Jakarta by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, three months after the leaders announced in Sydney that negotiations on the pact had been substantively concluded. The treaty builds on earlier security agreements signed in 1995 and 2006, reflecting an effort to better leverage decades of cooperation.
Albanese described the signing as a major expansion of existing defense and security ties, calling it a signal of growing trust between the two countries. The text of the treaty has not yet been released.
“It demonstrates the strength of our partnership and the depth of our trust,” Albanese said at a joint news conference at the Merdeka Palace. “This agreement signals that Australia and Indonesia’s relationship is stronger than it has ever been.”
Albanese arrived in Jakarta late Thursday for a three-day state visit, his fifth official trip to Indonesia. His office said the visit is part of a broader push to expand cooperation beyond security into trade, investment, education and development.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who accompanied Albanese, described the treaty as the most significant step in the bilateral partnership in three decades.
Prabowo called Australia “one of Indonesia’s closest neighbors and a strategic partner,” saying the agreement reflects a shared commitment to safeguarding national security and contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
“Indonesia and Australia are destined to live side by side, and we choose to build that relationship on mutual trust and good faith,” Prabowo said. “We believe this treaty will be a key pillar for stability and cooperation in our region.”
Albanese said regional peace and stability are best achieved by “acting together,” announcing new security initiatives including the embedding of a senior Indonesian officer within the Australian Defence Force, support for joint defense training facilities, and expanded military education exchanges.
Indonesia and Australia first signed a security agreement in 1995 committing both countries to consult on security challenges, but Indonesia terminated the pact in 1999 after Australia led a peacekeeping mission in East Timor. The two nations later rebuilt ties with the Lombok Treaty in 2006, which was expanded in 2014.
