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| India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin |
India and Indonesia on Thursday held the third India–Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi, marking a renewed push to elevate their fast-growing strategic relationship. The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, who conducted a comprehensive review of ongoing defence cooperation and outlined fresh areas for expansion.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, emphasizing that defence ties form a central pillar of their Indo-Pacific engagement. The ministers discussed progress across key domains, including maritime security, joint military exercises, defence capability development, and increased defence-industrial collaboration.
A significant portion of the dialogue focused on the shared strategic imperative of ensuring a stable, rules-based maritime order. With both countries positioned along critical sea lanes, the ministers highlighted the need for deeper coordination in the Indo-Pacific, particularly through enhanced naval engagement and information sharing.
The two leaders also reviewed ongoing training exchanges and cooperation between their armed forces, expressing satisfaction with the steady expansion of bilateral defence activities. They discussed ways to further streamline operational interactions, develop long-term exercises, and improve interoperability across services.
Defence industrial cooperation emerged as another important theme, with both ministers exploring opportunities for co-development and co-production under India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem and Indonesia’s evolving technological ambitions.
The dialogue included an exchange of perspectives on the broader regional security environment, with both sides acknowledging emerging challenges and underscoring the necessity of continued collaboration to safeguard regional stability.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the two countries’ shared vision: a stronger, more dynamic defence partnership that supports peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific. The next round of high-level engagements is expected to build on this momentum as India and Indonesia consolidate their strategic convergence.
Courtesy: diplomattoday
