Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Russia has invited Indonesia to take part in a joint military exercise it is planning to hold with Australia next April, Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Alexander Ivanov said.

The Russian envoy made the statement after paying a call on Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Adm Agus Suhartono here Monday (Jan 31).

"We hope the Indonesian military will join a military exercise we are going to stage with Australia," Ivanov said.

He added the military exercise between Russia and Australia had been held several times. In responding to the invitation, Adm Agus said he would consider the honor seriously.

In the closed meeting, the Russian ambassadors and TNI chief talked about Indonesia procuring weapons from Russia.

In the 1960s, most of Indonesian Military weaponry came from Russia, like jet-planes and submarines. Most recently Indonesia bought ten Sukhoi aircraft and would buy six units of similar jet aircraft gradually.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011