Sjafrie Meets Qatari Defence Minister: Key Discussions Outlined

Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin received an official visit from the Qatari Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. Sjafrie stated that this visit serves as a follow-up to a meeting held in Qatar on 12 April last year, during which defence cooperation agreements between the two nations were discussed.

“The cooperation pertains to military matters, education, training, the defence industry, and more,” said Sjafrie at the Ministry of Defence Office in Jakarta. In a separate statement, the Head of the Defence Information Bureau, Brigadier General Rico Sirait, noted that a key agenda item was the signing of a Statement of Intent as a follow-up to the Letter of Intent signed in 2021.

Furthermore, Sjafrie and the Qatari Defence Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Qatar’s Barzan Holdings and local Indonesian defence industries, facilitated through the Head of Defence Logistics. Rico emphasised that the relationship between Indonesia and Qatar holds significant strategic value, adding that these agreements represent a concrete step towards strengthening defence ties in a more structured, mutually beneficial, and implementable manner.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Sjafrie presented the Dharma Pertahanan award to Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman in recognition of Qatar’s contributions and commitment to enhancing defence cooperation. Rico noted that the award reflects Qatar’s role as a strategic partner in the Middle East regarding defence, diplomacy, and international peace stability. The visit commenced with a military ceremony conducted by TNI personnel at the Ministry of Defence, and the 90-minute meeting concluded with an escort for the Qatari Minister by the Women’s Corps of the Military Police from the three branches of the TNI.