TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government and the House of Representatives or DPR agreed to form a working committee to pass five bills on the ratification of international defense agreements, in a meeting held by the Commission I of the House and Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and Deputy Defense Minister Muhammad Herindra.

According to Minister Retno, the bills will ratify defense agreements with five countries; India, France, the United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, and Brazil.

"To obtain strategic benefits, including boosting defense capacity, technology transfer, joint research, and improving human resource capacity in the defense sector," she said on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Retno said the agreements do not concern defense pacts or military alliances. "But rather strengthening cooperation and confidence-building measures to help maintain the territorial integrity of the Indonesian Republic and strengthen friendship between defense institutions and the armed forces," she added.

Minister Retno explained the five defense agreements. First, she said, the agreement with India includes joint education and military training, defense technology development, personnel exchange, and logistics support. The agreement was signed by the Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto his Indian counterpart on May 25, 2018, in New Delhi and May 27, 2018, in Jakarta.

"India’s defense export value increased 21 times in the past decade,” Retno Marsudi said.

The second agreement concerned the defense cooperation with France on “defense intelligence, education, training, and defense industry’s science and technology.” Indonesia also inked an agreement on peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance with France on June 28, 2021, in Paris.

According to the minister, France is a potential partner to advance the domestic defense industry.

Third, the agreement with the UAE concerns information exchange, defense industry, and capacity building. "It is important to develop joint production in the defense industries of the two countries, including in the manufacture of ammunition and the production of rifle components," said Retno. This cooperation was signed on February 24, 2020, in Abu Dhabi by the Defense Ministers of both countries.

Fourth, the cooperation with Cambodia focuses on dialogue, visitations, knowledge exchange, and defense science and technology. Retno said the agreement with Cambodia is expected to open up opportunities to boost Indonesian weapon exports.

"Cambodia has become one of the (export) destination countries," said Retno. The agreement was inked on the 23rd of October, 2017, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting.

Fifth, the agreement with Brazil was signed on March 30, 2017, in Jakarta and April 5, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro by the Defense Ministers of both countries. "Opportunities for cooperation (with Brazil) include logistical support, technology transfer, joint research, joint production, and joint marketing," said Minister Retno.

According to Law No. 24 of 2000 on International Agreements, international defense agreements enter into force after being ratified through implementing regulations.

SULTAN ABDURRAHMAN

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