Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would raise the Defense Forces (TNI) budget by up to 35 percent in 2012 in line with the increasing complexity of TNI`s tasks.

He said at the commemoration of TNI`s 66th anniversary here on Wednesday that the TNI budget would be raised to Rp64.4 trillion next year from Rp47.5 trillion this year.

He said "with the budget as big as that let us continue the ongoing modernization and maintenance of TNI`s main hard wares to increase the combat and capability power of all TNI forces."

President Yudhoyono however also reminded that modern and reliable weapon system also needs capabilities, skills and professionalism of soldiers.

The Head of State said modernization and maintenance of the main weapon systems also required development of doctrines and organization of TNI, improvement of the quality of human resources and development of warfare technology to create an effective and efficient TNI to increase its combat and action power in line with its main duties as a state defense tool.

At the commemoration event TNI exhibited a number of its weapons such as missiles, tactical armored vehicles, rockets, howitzers, portable radars, helicopters and others.
(T.R018/H-YH/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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