Ahead of the visit by Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti said he would discuss ways to deepen a defense partnership with Indonesia’s Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
Russia and Indonesia took steps on Tuesday to strengthen their defense ties with a meeting between a top Russian security official and Indonesia’s defense minister in the capital of Jakarta as Moscow's war on Ukraine entered its fourth year.
Shoigu's visit, the first stop in a five-day Asia tour that also includes Malaysia, comes after Indonesia — the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and Southeast Asia’s largest economy — was admitted as full member to the BRICS bloc of developing economies, an alliance where Russia is one of the founding members.
Indonesian officials said ahead of Shoigu's arrival that the sides would exchange views on international and regional issues as Russia hopes to deepen its defense engagement with Southeast Asia countries.
Subianto, who has made strengthening Indonesia's military a priority, wants to buy submarines, frigates and fighter jets, and step up defense cooperation with other countries.