ISLAMABAD: Indonesia’s Defence Minister Lt Gen (retired) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Tuesday expressed Jakarta’s desire to further strengthen defence cooperation with Pakistan, particularly in the area of defence production, during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.
Pakistan and Indonesia maintain strong bilateral relations rooted in shared religion and culture, with both countries cooperating in trade, education, and health.
The Indonesian Defence Minister called on PM Sharif at the PM Office on Tuesday, where he reiterated Indonesia’s desire to “further strengthen defence ties with Pakistan and to explore possible areas for cooperation, especially in defence production”, according to a press release issued by government-run Press Information Department (PID).
The Indonesian Defence Minister conveyed the best wishes of President Prabowo Subianto for Prime Minister Sharif and people of Pakistan, the press release added.
Meanwhile, PM Sharif “reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to explore and expand collaboration with Indonesia in joint ventures of investment in mutually beneficial projects,” according to the press release.
Prime Minister Sharif also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation with Indonesia in all avenues, including economic, strategic and trade sectors, along with defence and defence production.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف سے انڈونیشیا کے وزیر دفاع کی ملاقات
وزیراعظم محمد شہبازشریف سے آج انڈونیشیا کے وزیر دفاع لیفٹیننٹ جنرل (ر) سیافری سمسودین (Syafrie Samsudin) نے ملاقات کی۔
انڈونیشیا کے صدر عزت مآب پرابووو سوبیانٹوو (Prabowo Subiantuo) کے ساتھ قاہرہ میں G-8 سربراہی اجلاس… pic.twitter.com/mYUQcjUW3H
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) July 15, 2025
The Prime Minister highlighted that Pakistan and Indonesia enjoyed a “longstanding friendship rooted in shared cultural, religious and historical bonds, supporting each other at international forums”.
Both sides stressed the importance of “enhancing multifaceted bilateral cooperation”, according to the press release.
“The meeting underscored the deep-rooted historical, brotherly and friendly bilateral relations between Pakistan and Indonesia,” the press release stated.
Recalling his meeting last year with Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of Developing-8 Summit in Cairo, PM Sharif conveyed his best wishes for the Indonesian president.
PM Sharif also reviewed ongoing initiatives under the Pakistan-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement and agreed to “accelerate the implementation of key areas of mutual interest”, the press release added.
In June, Pakistan and Indonesia decided to increase cooperation in areas such as vaccine production in Pakistan, the establishment of medical institutions in Indonesia, pharmaceutical development and human resource exchange.
Last year, Indonesian Charge d’Affaires Rahmat Hindiarta hosted an exclusive dinner for Pakistani business leaders and their spouses at the Indonesian Embassy to enhance bilateral finance and trade relations.
