Indonesia, Singapore agree to enhance defence ties, including cyber
JAKARTA – Indonesia and Singapore have agreed to intensify defense cooperation by increasing joint exercises between their land, sea, air and cyber forces, among other measures, as the two neighbors grapple with navigating the current geopolitical landscape.
The enhanced bilateral defense cooperation was agreed on Tuesday at the Defense Ministry in Central Jakarta, where Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Vice Adm. Aaron Beng, Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), met on the sidelines of the annual dialogue between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the SAF.
Following a stately ceremony to welcome the SAF chief, Sjafrie and Beng discussed practical methods of strengthening the two countries' security ties during their closed-door meeting.
According to a statement from the Defense Ministry after the meeting, the agreement is expected to boost the two countries' defense capabilities and support regional security.
'The ministry is optimistic that military interaction between the two countries will only play a more significant role in the future and enhance human resources for both sides,' it said.
Volatile geopolitical tensions and a rise in global conflicts in recent years have spooked Southeast Asian countries into bulking up their militaries. Among these efforts, Jakarta and Singapore agreed in 2022 to intensify their security partnership by finalizing the long-awaited defense cooperation agreement (DCA).
Indonesia has struggled to modernize and improve its defense capabilities, including in digital space, and is now setting its sights on beefing up its cyber defense capacities with Singapore, which consistently ranks among the world's best in cybersecurity.
'We discussed opportunities in cyber defense,' Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Wenas Inkiriwang said on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.
In its statement, the ministry emphasized that the two neighbors remained steadfast in their commitment to regional stability as the highest priority, underlining the need for dialogue and cooperation to maintain peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
Prior to his meeting with Sjafrie, Beng attended the 26th Indonesia-Singapore Combined Annual Report Meeting (CARM-INDOSIN), where the two countries' military leaders held talks on an upcoming strategic agenda and a performance evaluation, as well as enhanced collaboration for intelligence and interoperability.
During the CARM-INDOSIN high-level committee session on Tuesday, Beng said the two countries must continue to intensify their cooperation while upholding mutual respect.
'This forum has strengthened our commitment to continue collaborating in building regional stability, as well as deepen the two countries' strategic understanding,' he said.
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