Indonesia and Australia Discuss Development of Military Training Facility in Morotai

Jakarta, Kompas.com — Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles have discussed plans to jointly develop a military training facility in North Maluku.

“We will work together to improve (the defence infrastructure in Morotai) and use it jointly,” said Sjafrie following his meeting with Marles at the Defence Ministry office on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta, on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

The region was previously used as a military base during World War II and still retains several defence infrastructure facilities.

“I also explained to him how we are monitoring global developments that also have an impact on Indonesia,” Sjafrie elaborated.

The meeting between Sjafrie and Marles lasted one and a half hours at the Indonesian Defence Ministry headquarters. In addition to discussing the development of the military training facility in Morotai, other matters were also addressed.

The two ministers discussed strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between Indonesia and Australia.

This cooperation is also being developed under a trilateral framework involving Papua New Guinea alongside Indonesia and Australia, particularly in the field of defence professionalism.

According to Sjafrie, the concept of trilateral cooperation is also expanding to include Japan alongside Indonesia and Australia in strengthening professionalism in the defence sector.