Indonesia seeks Russian weapons and equipment to modernise its army

The Indonesian government has requested arms and equipment from Russia as part of its efforts to modernise its defence capabilities.

Here's What We Know

Vladimir Bulavin, chairman of the Russian Federation Council's Defence and Security Committee, confirmed that Jakarta had received an official request for various arms purchases in the period from 2025 to 2030.

However, the representative of the aggressor state did not specify which items were listed in the request, and Bulavin noted that the application was "under consideration" and Moscow would prepare appropriate proposals.

Indonesia and Russia currently cooperate under seven contracts in the framework of "military-technical" cooperation. Moscow also supports Indonesia by training personnel. According to the Russian, they have trained 6,000 specialists so far.

Indonesian security analyst Khairul Fahmy told Radio Free Asia that Jakarta may choose "less politically sensitive items" to avoid exacerbating geopolitical tensions. These could include armoured vehicles, multipurpose helicopters, simulators and short-range defence systems.

The acquisition of high-value Russian items such as fighter jets and missile systems could complicate Indonesia's relations with the United States.

Fahmy added that choosing less sensitive weapons would allow Indonesia to diversify its sources while maintaining its non-aligned status.

Source: The Defence Post