The two announced the agreement renewal from the helicopter deck of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Canberra in Sydney on Wednesday.
"This agreement forms the basis of a commitment for both countries to meet regularly to discuss security issues, jointly design security activities that benefit both parties, and, if both countries are threatened, to discuss together future steps to address the threat," Albanese said, explaining several crucial points of the Indonesia-Australia defense agreement.
He described the agreement as an extension of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) signed between the two countries on August 29, 2024.
"This agreement demonstrates the increasingly strong relationship between the two countries, including for their people," the prime minister added.
On the occasion, he also announced his plans to join Prabowo in Jakarta in January 2026 to sign the latest bilateral defense agreement between Indonesia and Australia.
Meanwhile, President Prabowo considered the bilateral defense agreement to be an important cooperation document for both countries.
"This agreement affirms our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation in the defense and security sectors, while also affirming our desire to strengthen our friendship. As partners and close neighbors, we want to strengthen and ensure the security of both countries. I believe these goals are at the heart of this agreement," he remarked.
He then reaffirmed Indonesia's foreign policy, namely the good neighbor policy.
"I believe in a good neighbor policy. Good neighbors are very important. Good neighbors will help each other in difficult times. Indonesians have a saying: when we face an emergency, it is our neighbors who will help us. Our relatives may live far away, and the closest people are our neighbors, and only good neighbors will help each other," he conveyed.
The joint statement delivered at HMAS Canberra was part of President Prabowo's state agenda in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday.
He began his agenda by visiting Albanese's official residence, Kirribilli House, where the two had a private meeting. Afterward, the president made a state visit to Admiralty House and met with Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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