During the meeting, Prabowo extended his appreciation to the US for supporting the modernization of equipment utilized by the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI).
"This (modernization) is essential to meet the standard strength of the TNI," he noted in a statement received from the Defense Ministry in Jakarta on Sunday.
Prabowo stated that Indonesia and the United States acknowledge the importance of bilateral cooperation in modernizing defense equipment and systems in order to enhance the capability of effectively handling threats.
In addition to discussing the modernization of the defense system, Prabowo and his US counterpart also explored viable ways to bolster the two countries' long-term partnership and pursue common interests.
Prabowo also extended his gratitude to his US counterpart for the productive discussion while expressing hope for continued collaboration and well-maintained relations between Indonesia and the United States.
Earlier, Head of the Defense Ministry’s Public Relations Bureau Brigadier General Edwin Adrian Sumantha stated when contacted on Friday (May 31) that Prabowo's presence at the Shangri-La Dialogue would demonstrate Indonesia's active role in maintaining the world's peace and stability.
He noted that the international forum would bring together state leaders and defense stakeholders to convene strategic issues and global security.
The Shangri-La Dialogue constitutes a discussion forum on strategic issues related to geopolitics, defense, and security.
The annual forum whose first edition took place in 2002 in Singapore is organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies and has drawn participation from state leaders, government officials, analysts and experts from think tanks, practitioners, and academicians.
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Translator: Bagus A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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