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View all search resultsIndonesia–Australia: Neighbors by geography, allies by necessity
Once built, trust has to be continuously nurtured to enable the two countries to contribute fully to the maintenance of peace and security in the region.
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President Prabowo Subianto (right) shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) after signing the Treaty on Common Security during the latter's work visit to the State Palace in Jakarta on Feb. 6, 2026. (Antara/Galih Pradipta)
I
ndonesia and Australia are oceans apart socio-culturally, but the two countries are geographically destined to share the same region: the Indo-Pacific.
Geopolitically meanwhile, the Indo-Pacific region presents a series of challenges that require careful management to prevent them from becoming new sources of open conflict, as a result of the wars taking place in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
These prolonged conflicts have disrupted global supply chains, driving up world prices for strategic commodities. Every country in the world is affected and suffers without exception.
To make matters worse, global and regional economies have become increasingly volatile with the unilateral imposition of a tariff war by United States President Donald Trump, which in the case of Indonesia and Australia was set at 12.5 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, long-standing tensions continue to persist over overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea, involving multiple nations, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Taiwan and Japan, alongside ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Indonesia could also potentially be drawn into these simmering tensions.
From a bilateral perspective, Indonesia and Australia face a range of issues that demand careful handling so as not to disrupt the broader fabric of regional peace and security, which is vital for the continued development of the neighboring countries. These issues include terrorism, illegal migration, human trafficking, illicit drug trafficking and digital fraud.
