Indonesia and Australia announced plans to expand their defence cooperation by inviting Japan and Papua New Guinea into new trilateral security arrangements. The countries agreed to pursue intelligence sharing and upgrade a training facility on Morotai, which will be open to regional partners including the Philippines and Singapore. Indonesia says it is prepared to deploy up to 8,000 troops to an international mission related to Gaza but any deployment depends on developments with the U.S.-linked Board Of Peace initiative and the evolving situation in the Middle East.
Indonesia and Australia Broaden Security Partnership, Invite Japan and Papua New Guinea
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense, Richard Marles, and Indonesia's Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin walk following their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
JAKARTA, March 12 — Indonesia and Australia are moving to deepen their defence cooperation by bringing Japan and Papua New Guinea into new trilateral security arrangements, Indonesia's Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said after talks with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles.
Trilateral Arrangements and Intelligence Sharing
Sjafrie said the two countries will develop separate trilateral frameworks: one with Japan and another with Papua New Guinea. The announcement follows a bilateral security treaty signed last month that commits Jakarta and Canberra to consult each other should either country be threatened.
The ministers also agreed to cooperate on intelligence sharing, though Sjafrie did not disclose operational details of how that cooperation will be structured.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles stands next to Indonesia's Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during a welcoming ceremony upon their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Training Facilities and Regional Access
Indonesia and Australia discussed plans to upgrade a defence training facility on the island of Morotai in North Maluku. Sjafrie said the proposal would improve existing infrastructure and make the site available to regional partners.
"We will work together to improve and utilise it," Sjafrie said, referring to Morotai's facilities.
He added that military personnel from regional partners — including the Philippines, Australia and Singapore — would be able to access Morotai, as well as another training facility in North Kalimantan being developed with Singapore.
Potential Deployment To Gaza-Linked Security Mission
On the prospect of contributing forces to an international security mission related to Gaza, Sjafrie said Indonesia is prepared to deploy troops but that any commitment depends on developments with the U.S.-linked Board Of Peace (BOP) initiative and the broader situation in the Middle East.
Indonesia's Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin speaks to journalists following his meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
He said Indonesia had at one point been prepared to send 20,000 troops but has since scaled that down and is now ready to deploy up to 8,000 personnel in phases. Sjafrie noted the reduction reflected smaller pledges by other countries involved in the initiative.
"The president has instructed us to prepare our troops, and we are ready to act, but we are awaiting developments from the BOP. I cannot confirm anything yet because the situation is very dynamic," he said.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by David Stanway)
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