Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia and Thailand are expanding their defense partnership to conduct joint special forces exercises and intensify coordinated naval patrols along the strategic Strait of Malacca, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced.
The strategic commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level courtesy visit by Thai Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Adul Boomthumjareon to the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Minister Sjafrie stated that both nations are moving forward with the implementation of their bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which serves as the foundational framework for joint defense initiatives.
Key areas covered under the agreement include joint military training, defense industry development, personnel exchanges, and soldier education.
These points of cooperation, according to Sjafrie, will continue to be implemented to strengthen the combat power between Indonesia and Thailand.
“We will exchange officers and soldiers from the special forces of both countries, and we also plan to conduct joint training between the special forces of Indonesia and Thailand,” Sjafrie noted.
In addition to elite military unit exchanges, the defense ministers agreed to bolster operational security along critical regional waterways, specifically targeting the Strait of Malacca to preserve ASEAN stability.
“We will increase coordinated patrols between each country to ensure stability in the ASEAN region, particularly in the Strait of Malacca,” Sjafrie explained.
Sjafrie expressed optimism that the expanding scope of defense collaboration will further solidify long-standing bilateral relations and bolster mutual security readiness between Indonesia and Thailand.
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Translator: Walda Marison, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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