“Speaking after a meeting with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles in Jakarta, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that the two nations would establish two trilateral security arrangements: one with Indonesia, Australia, and Japan, and another between Indonesia, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.”
“The announcement comes at a productive time for Indonesia-Australia defense relations. Last month, Jakarta and Canberra signed the Australia-Indonesia Treaty on Common Security – known as the Jakarta Treaty for short – a major agreement that commits them to increased security consultations…”
“Sjafrie and Marles also said that they had discussed the possibility of establishing a defense training facility on the small island of Morotai in North Maluku…”
“While details of the planned trilateral agreements have yet to be announced, the expansion of this bilateral cooperation to include Papua New Guinea and Japan makes a good deal of strategic sense for the nations involved. Last October, Australia signed a Mutual Defense Treaty with Papua New Guinea, and in 2022, signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan that facilitates the deployment of Australian and Japanese forces to both nations for military exercises. Likewise, Indonesia has recently expanded its defense cooperation with both PNG, with a focus on border security and educational exchanges, and Japan, which has transcended its role as a source of economic assistance to become an important partner in maritime security.”