Australia and Indonesia sign defence pact

Via X, Anthony Albanese

Australia and Indonesia have signed a treaty-level defence cooperation agreement, which will allow the Australian and Indonesian militaries to operate from each other's countries, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

"It will be a vital plank for our two countries to support each other's security, which is vital to both countries, but also to the stability of the region that we share," Albanese told a joint press conference in Canberra with Indonesia President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Australia and Indonesia share the world's longest maritime boundary and already collaborate on a number of issues, including security, people-trafficking and drug smuggling. 

"The map really determines that Australia and Indonesia as the closest of neighbours have a shared destiny, but from this moment forth, that destiny is very much defined by deep strategic trust," Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said.

Australia has struck a number of defence deals in recent years, most notably the AUKUS military alliance with the United States and Great Britain that angered China.

Prabowo said at a forum last November that Indonesia was committed to its policy of non-alignment and would keep good ties with both China and the United States.

More from International news

  • Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 60 people in 24 hours

    Israeli occupation forces committed multiple massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, resulting in the killing of at least 60 Palestinians and the injury of 162 others, according to medical reports.

  • Trump fires National Security Agency director

    U.S. President Donald Trump fired General Timothy Haugh as director of the National Security Agency on Thursday, according to two officials familiar with the decision, and congressional Democrats denounced the removal of the nonpartisan official from a top security post.

  • Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

    Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.

  • US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden delayed

    The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed.

News

  • UAE shines in global competitiveness rankings for 2025

    The UAE has maintained its rising performance in the global competitiveness race during the first quarter of 2025 by achieving advanced positions in many relevant international and regional indicators and reports.

  • UAE President marks Senegal independence day

    President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal on the occasion of his country's Independence Day.

  • UAE expands cancer prevention plan

    The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases through a proactive national strategy.