The United States and
Indonesia are set to elevate their defense relationship and deepen maritime
security cooperation during the upcoming visit of Indonesian president Joko
“Jokowi” Widodo to Washington, D.C., sources told The Diplomat ahead of
the visit.
Jakarta
and Washington have already been cooperating in the defense realm, which has
been furthered within the security working group of the U.S.-Indonesia
comprehensive partnership signed in 2010 under Jokowi’s predecessor Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono.
But over
the past year, officials from both sides have been stressing the need to
elevate and expand defense cooperation (See: “US, Indonesia Looking to Boost
Military Ties: Officials”). As Indonesian foreign minister Retno
Marsudi said during her address to the U.S.-Indonesia Society in Washington,
D.C. last month, U.S.-Indonesia defense cooperation “should be more strategic
and comprehensive” (See: “Indonesia Defends its Foreign
Policy Record Under Jokowi”).
As part
of this effort, sources close to the planning of the visit told The Diplomat
that during Jokowi’s visit from October 25 to 28, the two countries will issue
a joint statement comprehensively laying out the areas for future security and
defense cooperation and ink a new memorandum of understanding focused on the
maritime domain (See: “Exclusive: What to Expect in
US-Indonesia Relations During Jokowi’s Visit“).
First,
the two countries will issue a joint statement on security and defense
cooperation in a bid to elevate the defense side of the relationship to a
higher level. A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because planning
for the visit was still being finalized, said that the statement would include
six areas, covering issues such as maritime cooperation, military
professionalization, joint development, transnational challenges, disaster
relief and peacekeeping.
Despite
the comprehensive focus of the statement, most observers will be looking to see
what this means for new opportunities in co-production and co-development of
defense technology and as well as transfer of technology, which Marsudi had
indicated “would be a priority” in her USINDO speech.
Second,
the United States and Indonesia will also ink a new memorandum of understanding
on maritime security. This is in recognition not only of the regional
challenges in the maritime domain which are significant for both countries –
such as the South China Sea – but also Jokowi’s own maritime vision for Indonesia
as a “global maritime fulcrum” between the Pacific and Indian Oceans (See: “The Trouble With Indonesia’s
Foreign Policy Priorities Under Jokowi” and “No, Indonesia’s South China Sea
Approach Has Not Changed”).
A
highlight of the MoU will be efforts to enhance coast guard cooperation with
Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Badan Keamanan Laut, BAKAMLA). As I have
written elsewhere, BAKAMLA, a newly created organization under Jokowi which
some have characterized as the equivalent of a coast guard, is central to resolving
Indonesia’s maritime coordination problem (See: “Indonesia’s Maritime Ambition:
Can Jokowi Realize It?”). As close observers of Indonesian security
affairs know, the past few years has seen no less than 12 national agencies
compete for authority and resources in a costly and ineffective way.
More
generally, the MoU is expected to touch on several areas including maritime
defense, maritime resource management and maritime infrastructure and maritime
safety. This is in line with the five pillars Jokowi was outlined for his
global maritime fulcrum vision, which include: rebuilding Indonesia’s maritime
culture; maintaining and managing its maritime resources; developing maritime
infrastructure and connectivity; strengthening maritime diplomacy; and boosting
its maritime defense forces. By Prashanth Parameswaran
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