Doha, 12 July 2026 (Qatar Tribune)

By Ashraf Siddiqui
Doha

THE Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the State of Qatar have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic defence ties through the signing of a Statement of Intent (SoI) on defence cooperation.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday by the Office of Colonel Tengku Sony S, defence attaché of the Republic of Indonesia in Qatar, the agreement was signed on June 2, 2026 at Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence in Jakarta by Indonesia’s Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani.

The statement said the signing reflects the growing strength of bilateral relations between the two countries and marks a significant step towards expanding mutually beneficial defence cooperation. It also underscores the shared commitment of Indonesia and Qatar to building a robust, sustainable and adaptive defence partnership capable of addressing evolving regional and global security challenges.

The SoI builds on the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed in 2021 and provides a strategic foundation for establishing a more structured, modern and long term framework for defence cooperation. It is expected to pave the way for a comprehensive Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which will provide the legal frameworkfor expanding collaboration
across a wide range of defence related fields.

According to the statement, the scope of cooperation includes military education and training, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, human resource development, defence diplomacy and defence indus try collaboration. In education and professional development, Indonesia has regularly sent officers attending the Joint Command and Staff College (Sesko TNI) to pursue professional military education at the Joaan Bin Jassim Joint Command and Staff College (JBJJCSC) in Qatar, with the aim of strengthening strategic leadership and enhancing military interoperability. Indonesia has also consistently dispatched senior officials from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Ministry of Defence to participate in the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX), which serves as a strategic platform for strengthening defence dialogue, expanding international networks and exploring opportunities in defence technology and the defence industry.

As a reflection of their growing institutional partnership, Indonesia and Qatar have established Defence Attaché and Military Attaché offices in each other’s countries. According to the statement, the presence of these offices plays an important role in strengthening communication between the armed forces of both nations, facilitating strategic information exchange, coordinating bilateral defence programmes and promoting cooperation in military education, joint exercises, defence diplomacy and defence industry collaboration.

The statement added that, in the defence industry sector, both countries continue to promote closer cooperation in the procurement and development of defence equipment, including KMA 5.56 mm assault rifles,Beretta ARX-160 assault rifles, various calibres of ammunition and BMC Kirpi Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles.
Beyond defence procurement, Indonesia and Qatar are also exploring opportunities for cooperation in maintenance, logistics support, defence industrial capacity-building and technology transfer to strengthen the self-reliance of their national defence industries and enhance their respective defence capabilities.

The statement concluded by reaffirming the commitment of both countries to further strengthening bilateral defence relations as part of a sustainable and mutually beneficial strategic partnership. It added that the implementation of the Statement of Intent is expected not only to enhance the defence readiness and capabilities of both nations but also to contribute to regional and international peace, stability and security through cooperation based on mutual trust, mutual respect and shared interests.