Sixth annual Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee meeting

Sixth annual Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee meeting    Australian Chief of Defence Force General Angus Campbell, AO, DSC Commander in Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, AO, DSC and his counterpart, Commander in Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Panglima TNI) Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, met today for the sixth annual Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee meeting in Darwin. This marks the first meeting between General Campbell and Air Chief Marshal Tjahjanto since the respective Chiefs assumed their roles. During the meeting the two Chiefs of Defence agreed to an extensive program of Navy, Army, Air Force and joint exercises and engagement activities for 2019-20, a reflection of close bilateral engagement between the two nations. Both Chiefs also recognised that people-to-people ties are critical to developing a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between our two countries especially at the beginning of their military careers. They agreed to establish a regular program of contacts and exchange visits between young officers. Air Chief Marshal Tjahjanto and General Campbell emphasised the importance of increasing the complexity of bilateral military exercises, enhancing information sharing, and growing practical maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean. Air Chief Marshal Tjahjanto and General Campbell also commended Indonesian and Australian Special Forces on their 25th anniversary of cooperation, and directed that Special Forces cooperation be further enhanced to address the evolving threat of regional extremism and returning foreign fighter flows. Following the meeting, the two Chiefs of Defence signed a joint letter of endorsement for the Indonesian Australian Defence Alumni Association (Ikahan), which plays an essential role in deepening the people-to-people links between the two defence forces. The visit included an inspection of the Australian Defence facilities that host the US Force Posture Initiatives (US FPI), and discussions with Australian and United States officials on the important contribution the US FPI makes to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Air Chief Marshal Tjahjanto and General Campbell also welcomed the participation of TNI Air Force F-16 aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black, one of the many examples of Australian-Indonesian Defence cooperation.