Sjafrie Invites Chinese Armed Forces to Heping Garuda Exercise with TNI

Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has stated that the Ministry of Defence continues to strengthen defence cooperation between Indonesia and China. He expressed his desire for the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to hold the Heping Garuda joint exercise with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). “We also invite the Chinese Armed Forces to participate in joint exercises such as Heping Garuda, which is a concrete form of the relationship between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the People’s Republic of China,” Sjafrie said during a joint statement at the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Building of the Ministry of Defence in Central Jakarta on Friday (21/8/2026).