JAKARTA – On November 16, US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement or Defense Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) between the United States and Indonesia. This defense cooperation arrangement opens new opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the United States and Indonesia.
The two ministers celebrated President Biden and President Joko Widodo’s recently announced upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and discussed expanding training opportunities, increasing academic exchanges and increasing maritime domain awareness.
“Minister Prabowo and I have signed a historic security cooperation agreement with ADMK-Plus in Jakarta.” said Minister Austin. “The deepening security relationship between the United States and Indonesia is at the heart of a newly enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Defense Minister Austin told reporters in September that the signing was a continuation of “Super Garuda Shield, Indonesia’s largest joint exercise ever”. “[Dalam] In that exercise, 7 countries participated along with 11 observer countries.
While in Indonesia, Defense Minister Austin attended the 10th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, a year after the United States upgraded its relations with ASEAN to the status of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Defense Secretary Austin reaffirmed America’s commitment to the ASEAN Center as a key pillar in America’s efforts to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region. region. The defense minister also discussed U.S. support for a shared regional vision, outlining challenges to that vision, including the PRC’s coercive actions in the South China Sea, the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, North Korea’s destabilizing activities, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Ukraine. Middle East. .
(Photos by Chad McNeely, US Department of Defense Office of Public Affairs)
