Indonesia and Qatar Forge Stronger Military and Industry Ties

Indonesia and Qatar are deepening their defense relationship with a newly signed cooperation agreement that encompasses military, education, training, and the defense industry. The pact aims to create a more structured and mutually beneficial partnership through tangible programs.

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The cooperation relates to the military, education, training, defense industry, and other fields.

Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with Qatar's Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. This visit was a reciprocal gesture following a bilateral meeting held in Qatar on April 12 of the previous year.

During the meeting, a key agenda item was the signing of a statement of intent, which serves as a follow-up to a letter of intent initially signed in 2021. Additionally, an MoU was executed between Qatar's defense firm Barzan Holding and Indonesia's domestic industry, represented by the Defense Logistics Division (Kabaloghan).

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We consider Indonesia's relationship with Qatar to hold significant strategic value.

Brigadier General Rico Sirait, Head of the Public Information Bureau at the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, emphasized the strategic value of the relationship with Qatar. He stated that the agreement represents a concrete step toward strengthening bilateral defense ties. At the conclusion of the event, Minister Sjafrie awarded the Dharma Defense Medal to Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman, recognizing Qatar's contributions to bilateral defense cooperation and its role as a strategic partner in the Middle East.

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The award reflects Qatar's role as a strategic partner in the Middle East, spanning defense, diplomacy, and support for international peace and stability.