Mon Nov 04 05:27:16 UTC 2024: ## Indonesia and Russia Kick Off First Joint Military Drills, Signaling Shift in Foreign Policy
**Jakarta, November 4, 2024** – Indonesia’s inaugural joint military exercises with Russia this week signal a significant shift in the nation’s foreign policy under President Prabowo Subianto, analysts say. The drills, which began Monday in eastern Java, involve three Russian corvette-class warships, a tanker, helicopter, and tug boat, mark a departure from Indonesia’s traditionally neutral stance.
President Subianto, known for his close ties with Moscow, has pledged to build stronger relationships with various countries, regardless of their geopolitical alliances. This shift is evident in the renewed focus on a $1.1 billion fighter jet deal with Russia and Jakarta’s refusal to disinvite Russia from the 2022 G20 summit.
The drills, which experts believe will be less advanced than Indonesia’s annual exercises with the US, are seen as an introductory phase for bolstering naval cooperation between the two nations. While Indonesia faces threats of smuggling and piracy, Russia is seeking to expand its global influence and secure allies.
The exercises are likely to draw attention from the US, which has been attempting to isolate Russia diplomatically. While the US embassy in Jakarta declined to comment, analysts believe the drills are a deliberate move by President Subianto to signal a broader shift in Indonesian foreign policy towards greater diversification and a less-aligned stance.
“Historically, the US has been the partner of choice for military exercises,” said Pieter Pandie, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “But…Indonesia has been trying to diversify its partners, and I think there’s an overall bigger trend of that.”
First Piper 