Indonesia and the US Complete 170 Joint Military Exercises Annually

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth welcomed the arrival of the Republic of Indonesia’s Defence Minister at the Pentagon in Arlington, US, on Monday (13/4/2026) local time. The two agreed to announce the establishment of a Major Defense Partnership between the two countries. The partnership is intended to serve as a framework for advancing bilateral defence cooperation between the US and Indonesia to maintain peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region. “Your visit demonstrates the importance of our growing security relationship—and this relationship is active and continues to grow—with Indonesia, according to the Department of Defense,” said Hegseth at a joint press conference quoted from Pentagon News. Hegseth then mentioned that the two countries complete more than 170 joint military exercises annually. “This partnership marks the strength and potential of our security relationship… strengthening regional deterrence, and advancing our shared commitment to peace through strength,” stated Hegseth. During his brief speech, Sjamsoeddin affirmed Hegseth’s statement regarding the strength of the US-Indonesia relationship. “Today, we are here as an Indonesian delegation… with great enthusiasm to continue developing our defence relationship, (which) must endure for our future generations in Indonesia and the United States,” said Sjafrie. “We work on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit to enhance our national interests,” Sjafrie continued. The new cooperation agreement features three “basic pillars” based on each country’s national sovereignty and mutual respect: military organisation and capacity building; professional military training and education; and exercises and operational cooperation. Within the framework of the agreement, the two countries will work to explore cutting-edge initiatives, “including jointly developing advanced asymmetric capabilities, pioneering next-generation defence technologies in maritime, subsurface, and autonomous systems, as well as collaborating on maintenance, repair, and overhaul support to enhance operational readiness,” according to the joint statement on the new partnership.