Indonesia-Australia set to become brothers in arms

Indonesia and Australia finalized a new defense cooperation treaty on August 20, a potential game-changing pact depending on its still-unreleased details.

But with US-China relations at a steady simmer and Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto due to assume the nation’s presidency in October, many will read the final text closely for any signs of a shift in strategic positioning of the two key regional powers.

The full details of the pact and its significance will only become clear next week when Richard Marles, Australia’s deputy prime minister and defense minister, travels to Indonesia for the official signing. However, Marles has already struck a triumphalist note, hailing the treaty as the “most significant agreement that our two countries have ever made.”

Marles indicated the treaty will make it easier for the Indonesian and Australian militaries to operate in each other’s countries as well as cooperate to support the “rules-based order”, increase the number of joint exercises, and improve interoperability.

“While, this is not an alliance as such […] This is very much both countries saying to each other that we see our respective security as being embedded in each other,” Marles said.

Indonesia, however, seems more cautious about the agreement’s implications. Prabowo hailed the treaty as a big win for both countries but was also careful to emphasize this agreement would not compromise Indonesia’s traditional neutrality.

“As you know we are, by tradition, non-aligned. By tradition our people do not want us to be involved in any geopolitical or military alliances or groupings,” Marles said speaking to the media at a press conference with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He framed the agreement as