Prabowo receives Australian Deputy Prime Minister, discusses strategic relations
President Prabowo Subianto received his long-standing friend and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles in a warm meeting held at the presidential residence in the Kertanegara area on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
The Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya announced the meeting through official media channels of the Cabinet Secretariat in Jakarta on Thursday.
“President Prabowo Subianto received his long-standing friend who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia, Richard Marles, on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, at Kertanegara,” according to Teddy’s statement.
The Cabinet Secretary conveyed that the meeting took place with great warmth and intimacy, reflecting the long-established personal relationship between the two leaders.
“The meeting was warm and cordial, affirming the close personal relationship between the two leaders,” he said.
In a relaxed atmosphere, according to Teddy, the two also exchanged views on several important issues of mutual concern.
According to Teddy, the meeting also served as a symbol of the closeness of relations and strong cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, particularly in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The close relationship between President Prabowo and Richard Marles is one of the factors strengthening Indonesia-Australia cooperation, particularly in the defence field.
The two have met several times since 2022 when Prabowo served as Indonesia’s Defence Minister, both in international forums and through bilateral visits.
One such cooperation initiative is the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in August 2024, which expanded defence cooperation between the two countries, including joint military exercises, strategic dialogue, and enhanced military education cooperation.
Intensive communication between President Prabowo and Marles strengthens mutual trust between the two countries in maintaining Indo-Pacific regional stability and deepening defence relations based on mutual respect.