- Indonesia’s Defense Minister meets Field Marshal Munir.
- Both sides emphasize the importance of defense ties.
- Indonesia’s air chief praises the professionalism of Pakistan’s forces.
Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to foster a strong and lasting defense relationship with Indonesia, according to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (Retd), Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, called on Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi, according to the military’s media wing.
The meeting focused on issues of common interest, development of regional and global security dynamics and exploration of opportunities to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, the statement said. Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional links, training cooperation and defense industrial cooperation between Pakistan and Indonesia, it said.
The visiting dignitary praised the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. He also expressed Indonesia’s desire to further expand defense ties with Pakistan across multiple domains.
The CDF reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to foster a strong and lasting defense relationship with Indonesia, based on shared values, mutual respect and convergence of strategic interests.
Pak-Indonesia defense deal close: sources
The visiting minister earlier called on Pakistan’s air force chief in Islamabad to discuss a potential deal that includes the sale of fighter jets and killer drones to Jakarta, three security officials with knowledge of the meeting said on Monday.
The talks come as Pakistan’s defense industry moves forward with a series of defense procurement talks and looks to establish itself as a significant regional player.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the meeting between Shamsuddin and Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
“The meeting focused on discussing general defense cooperation relations, including strategic dialogue, strengthening communication between the defense institutions and opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in the long term,” Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters, adding that the talks had not yet led to concrete decisions.
A source said the talks revolved around the sale of JF-17 jets, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and killer drones designed for surveillance and attack on targets.
The other two sources said the negotiations were at an advanced stage and involved more than 40 JF-17 jets. One of them said Indonesia was also interested in Pakistan’s Shahpar drones.
The sources did not share any discussions about delivery timelines and the number of years a proposed deal would span.
The Pakistan military’s public relations wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
