Indonesia and India Agree to Improve Defense Cooperation

New Delhi, India, MINA – The Indonesian and Indian governments have agreed to improve defense cooperation through joint exercises of air forces, navies, and armies.

Bilateral defense cooperation will also be strengthened in arms industries as well as intensive high-level visit of officials, Antara News reportted,quoting a press release from Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi.

Improving defense cooperation was part of the discussion of Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu during his visit to India to attend the 2nd Biennial Defense Ministers` Dialogue (BDMD) on Jan 19.

Ryacudu and his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman also planned to include such cooperation in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is planned to be signed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Indonesia sometime this year.

In addition to attending BDMD, Ryamizard also delivered a speech at the 3rd Raisina Dialogue. The annual top political conference was held in New Delhi on Jan 18 and organized by the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

At the conference, under the theme “Managing Disruptive Transitions: Ideas, Institutions and Idioms,” the Indonesian minister presented four serious security issues, namely North Korea`s geo-political intensity, the South China Sea, the trilateral issue of securing the Sulu Sea from the threat of ISIS aggression, as well as the crisis in Rohingya, which needs intervention of all stakeholders through intensive and constructive communication.

Ryacudu added that the Indonesian government will remain consistent with its foreign policy to be active in its efforts to create global peace and justice.

Regarding the security issue on the Korean Peninsula, Indonesia will positively contribute to take constructive steps, as well as demand respect for international laws, norms, and order to restrain escalation of conflict in the region. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)