Login
iscover
New Chief of Defence General Angus Campbell, AO, DSC has met with his counterpart, Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, for the sixth annual Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee meeting in Darwin.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
During the meeting, the two defence chiefs agreed to an extensive program of navy, army, air force and joint exercises and engagement activities for 2019-20, a reflection of close bilateral engagement between the two nations.
This marks the first meeting between GEN Campbell and ACM Tjahjanto since the respective chiefs assumed their roles. Both chiefs also recognised that people-to-people ties are critical to developing a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries especially at the beginning of their military careers.
Both Australia and Indonesia agreed to establish a regular program of contacts and exchange visits between young officers.
ACM Tjahjanto and GEN Campbell emphasised the importance of increasing the complexity of bilateral military exercises, enhancing information sharing and growing practical maritime security co-operation in the Indian Ocean.
ACM Tjahjanto and GEN Campbell also commended Indonesian and Australian special forces on their 25th anniversary of co-operation, and directed that special forces co-operation be further enhanced to address the evolving threat of regional extremism and returning foreign fighter flows.
Following the meeting, the two defence chiefs signed a joint letter of endorsement for the Indonesian Australian Defence Alumni Association (Ikahan), which plays an essential role in deepening the people-to-people links between the two defence forces.
The visit included an inspection of the Australian Defence facilities that host the US Force Posture Initiatives (US FPI), and discussions with Australian and US officials on the important contribution the US FPI makes to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
