Indonesia ratifies defense agreements with Turkiye and Malaysia, strengthening strategic partnerships

Indonesia ratifies defense agreements with Turkiye and Malaysia, strengthening strategic partnerships

Indonesia formalized defense cooperation agreements with Turkiye and Malaysia on Tuesday, providing stronger legal backing for partnerships focused on capacity building, information sharing and defense industry development, Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas announced Wednesday.

The ratifications mark a significant milestone in Indonesia's defense relationships with both nations, built on principles of equality and mutual benefit, Agtas said in a statement in Jakarta.

Partnership with Turkiye

Indonesia's defense ties with Turkiye date back to 2010, when presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Abdullah Gül oversaw the signing of an initial defense industry cooperation agreement. Since then, the partnership has expanded through the Indonesia-Turkey Defense Dialogue Meeting established in 2020, creating a formal mechanism for regular bilateral consultations.

The cooperation has yielded concrete results, including a joint venture between Indonesian state manufacturer Pindad and Turkish defense firm FNSS to produce the Kaplan MT/Harimau medium tank, which entered mass production in 2020. Turkiye has emerged as a major defense technology provider, with its defense and aerospace sector generating record export revenues of $5.55 billion in 2023, up from $248 million in 2002. The country now accounts for 65 percent of global military unmanned aerial vehicle sales since 2018.

Indonesia signed its latest defense cooperation agreement with Turkiye in Bali on Nov. 14, 2022. In February 2025, the partnership advanced further when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held their first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council summit, signing 13 agreements including a deal on drone production. The defense cooperation supports broader economic goals, with both nations targeting bilateral trade of $10 billion.

Cooperation with Malaysia

The memorandum of understanding with Malaysia, signed in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 9, 2022, emerged from the 42nd Session of the Malaysia-Indonesia General Border Committee (GBC Malindo). That forum addresses defense cooperation and socio-economic development along the shared border between the two countries.

Legal framework and parliamentary approval

Indonesia's Law No. 24 of 2000 on International Agreements mandates parliamentary approval for treaties concerning politics, peace, defense and national security. Article 10(a) of that law established the legal requirement for the ratifications approved Tuesday, Agtas said.

The government and House of Representatives approved both ratification bills during Tuesday's plenary session in Jakarta. All eight parliamentary factions backed the measures, according to Commission I Deputy Chairman Anton Sukartono Suratto.

House Speaker Puan Maharani, who has served in the position since October 2019 and was re-elected for the 2024-2029 term as the first post-Reformation Speaker to serve two consecutive terms, formalized the consensus by striking the gavel during the plenary session.

Suratto emphasized the strategic importance of deeper defense ties with Turkiye and Malaysia for supporting geopolitical stability, acquiring advanced defense technology and strengthening military personnel capabilities.

Commission I has consistently emphasized the importance of oversight and budgetary functions. The enactment of these laws requires measurable, effective and sustainable budget support.

Agtas thanked parliamentary leaders and lawmakers for facilitating the legislation of the defense cooperation agreements.