This article covers cooperation between India and Indonesia in defence, and in science, technology and space. Training under India's ITEC programme, which the brief groups with education, is covered in the culture and education article. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of June 2026.
Defence relations
According to the MEA brief of June 2026, defence relations between India and Indonesia, which the brief calls maritime neighbours, were established in 1951. A formal agreement on Defence Cooperation was signed in 2001 and renewed in 2006. Both countries signed an MoU on Defence Cooperation during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Indonesia in 2018. The brief states that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Shared Vision on Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, adopted during that visit, led to a further deepening of relations in the defence sector.
The two countries cooperate in all facets of military engagement: exercises and patrols, training and courses, bilateral and multilateral exercises, conclaves, symposiums and events, Subject Matter Experts Exchanges (SMEEs) and defence industry.
Cooperation activities
The brief lists the following activities:
- Covid-19 response
- IND-INDO CORPAT
- Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo
- Multilateral Naval Exercise Milan
- Bilateral Army Exercise, 10th edition, Garuda Shakti
- Bilateral Naval Exercise, 5th edition, Samudra Shakti
- Joint Defence Cooperation Committee
- Services Staff Talks
- Indian Coast Guard - Bakamla Cooperation
- Cross visits and OTR of warships and aircraft
- Training exchanges
- Subject Matter Experts Exchange
- ADMM Plus
- India-Indonesia Defence Industry Exhibition-cum-Seminar
- ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail
- Ex Elang Shakti
- Ex Super Garuda Shield 2025
- Hydrographic Cooperation
- Foreign Study Tour, including a 16 member NDC delegation in 2025
- Staff level intelex
Defence dialogues and visits
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin visited New Delhi for the Third India-Indonesia Defence Ministers' Dialogue on 29 November, co-chaired with India's Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.
Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Air Marshal Donny Ermawan Taufanto, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence of Indonesia, co-chaired the 7th India-Indonesia Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in New Delhi on 3 May 2024.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi visited Indonesia from 15-18 December 2024. He met Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, the Chief of Indonesia Defence Forces, General Agus Subiyanto, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad.
The first ever India-Indonesia Defence Industry Exhibition-cum-Seminar was held in Jakarta on 30 April 2024. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan paid an official visit to Indonesia from 26-31 October, aimed at further deepening defence cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Ship visits
In 2026, INS Sunayna, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel, made a goodwill port visit to Jakarta from 22-24 April 2026. The visit was part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) Mission, with participants and crew from 16 nations.
Ship visits in 2025 listed in the brief are:
- the indigenously built ASW Corvette INS Kadmatt, at Surabaya and Makassar in September and October 2025
- INS Sandhayak, at Jakarta in July 2025
- the guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, at Jakarta in January 2025
Science, technology and space
The MoU on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was signed during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Indonesia in May 2018.
On 19 March 2024, a signing ceremony took place in Jakarta between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Two documents were signed:
- the Implementation Agreement on Transfer of Title of Integrated Biak Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) Facilities
- the Implementing Arrangement on Operation, Maintenance and Utilisation of Integrated Biak Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) Facilities for Satellites and Launch Vehicles
The two countries also have working mechanisms on S&T cooperation and on cooperation in outer space.