June 2, 2026 | 04:40 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and Qatar are moving to expand their defense partnership through new agreements covering military training, education, and defense industry collaboration, following a high-level meeting in Jakarta on Monday, June 2, 2026.Qatar’s Defense Minister, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, was received by Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander General Agus Subiyanto at the Ministry of Defense in Central Jakarta.The visit included a formal welcoming ceremony before both sides held closed-door talks attended by delegations from both countries.Training, Education, and Joint ExercisesDefense Minister Sjafrie said the discussions focused on several key areas of cooperation, including joint military exercises, education and training programs, and broader defense collaboration.“We will follow up on several areas of defense cooperation between Indonesia and Qatar, including exercise cooperation, education, and the defense industry,” Sjafrie said.Defense Cooperation Agreement in ProgressA major focus of the talks was the ongoing negotiation of a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which would provide a formal framework for long-term military cooperation between the two countries.Both Indonesia and Qatar are continuing discussions to finalize the agreement.In addition, the two sides are also preparing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between their defense industries to strengthen cooperation in defense production and technology exchange.“We are preparing an MoU between the defense industries of Indonesia and Qatar,” Sjafrie said.Strategic Partnership and Follow-Up TalksSheikh Saoud said both countries hold strategic positions in regional and global security, including in defense affairs. He expressed hope that the ongoing discussions would result in concrete agreements.He also thanked the Indonesian government for the warm reception during his visit to Jakarta.The meeting in Jakarta follows Sjafrie’s visit to Doha in April 2025, signaling continued efforts by both countries to deepen bilateral defense relations through structured cooperation and institutional agreements.Hajj Burhanuddin Maajid contributed to the writing of this article.Read: Indonesia, Qatar Strengthen Military and Industry Ties
