VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Defense Minister of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto held a bilateral meeting with French Defense Minister Florence Parly at the French Defense Ministry Office in Paris, Wednesday (21/10), according to a written statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Paris received by ANTARA, Thursday.

The two Defense Ministers at the meeting discussed the development of the situation and dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.

France pays special attention to the Indo-Pacific region, considering that apart from owning territories, around 1.6 million people are in the Indo-Pacific Region.

In this context, the two ministers emphasized the importance of continuing to contribute to maintaining regional stability and security.

The two defense ministers specifically discussed the framework for future defense cooperation. The various advances that have been made in strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries this year, including efforts to advance Indonesia's defense industry, were welcomed by the two defense ministers.

"I have recorded rapid progress from the strategic partnership between Indonesia and France in the defense sector this year. Indonesia wants to continue to develop cooperation with France in various defense sectors, including strengthening the Indonesian Armed Forces defense equipment and advancing the capacity of the Indonesian defense industry as part of the global production chain defense equipment products, "said Defense Minister Prabowo.

Last January, the two defense ministers agreed to make a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA).

The agreement will cover comprehensive defense cooperation, such as cooperation in the fields of military education and training, maritime security, eradicating terrorism, developing the defense industry to strengthening capacity in disaster management such as the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the two countries.

In this regard, the two Defense Ministers asked the negotiating team to immediately complete the DCA, to be signed by the two ministers at the end of this year, as part of the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The meeting of the two defense ministers for the second time this year shows the intensification of communication and defense cooperation between the two countries.

"In the midst of a pandemic which requires various activities to be postponed, Indonesia-France cooperation in the defense sector is getting closer, not only from the intensity of communication between the two defense ministers but also by the activities of the strategic defense equipment cooperation working group which has been working twice this year," said the Ambassador RI Arrmanatha Nasir.

The Indonesian-French cooperation in the defense sector has been based on an agreement between the two countries in 2017 through a Letter of Intent (LoI) or a Statement of Intent to increase defense cooperation including maritime cooperation and maritime security.

Every year since 2013, bilateral defense cooperation in several fields such as training and education, mutual visits, and the eradication of terrorism have been discussed through the Indonesia-France Defense Dialogue (IFDD) forum. (Antaranews)