Chokepoint: U.S. and Indonesia Jointly Announce Major Defense Agreement

You don't think we wrote all those posts on Indonesia just because we're suckers for Orangutans do you?

(well partly) 

Here is the U.S. version of the agreement: 

JOINT STATEMENT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE U.S.-INDONESIA MAJOR DEFENSE COOPERATION PARTNERSHIP

April 13, 2026
The U.S. Secretary of War and Indonesian Minister of Defense announce the establishment of the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) between the United States and Indonesia. 

This announcement reflects Indonesia’s important role in promoting regional stability and underscores the strength and potential of the bilateral defense relationship.

The MDCP is intended to serve as a guiding framework to advance bilateral defense cooperation.

With this announcement, both nations reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The MDCP features three foundational pillars implemented based on mutual respect and national sovereignty:

(1) Military modernization and capacity building;
(2) Training and professional military education; and
(3) Exercises and operational cooperation. 

Under the MDCP framework, the United States and Indonesia will explore mutually agreed cutting-edge initiatives, including co-developing sophisticated asymmetric capabilities pioneering next-generation defense technologies in the maritime, subsurface, and autonomous systems domains, and cooperating on maintenance, repair, and overhaul support to improve operational readiness....

...MORE at the DoD/DoW.

 

With Singapore and peninsular Malaysia on the north side of the Strait of Malacca (Strait of Singapore at the eastern approaches) and Indonesia on the south, this is one of the most important chokepoints in the world. And with Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei sharing Borneo Island and facing the Chinese claims to the South China Sea, based on their ridiculous "nine-dash-line", this area is the geopolitical hotspot of the future (2027?)

At Defence Security Asia, April 14: "Indonesia Moves Closer to US Strategic Orbit as Pentagon Eyes Overnight Military Air Access Across Southeast Asia" 

Previously: 

On the Strait of Malacca - https://climateerinvest.blogspot.com/search?q=malacca 

On Indonesia - https://climateerinvest.blogspot.com/search?q=Indonesia 

On the South China Sea - https://climateerinvest.blogspot.com/search?q=south+china+sea

On our second favorite primate:  

The video is incorrectly labeled, monkeys have tails.

Here's the map of China's claims in the South China Sea. Though not as funny as the Orangutan it is pretty whack: 

—the Philippines Star

 Philippines in particular have faced physical assault from the Chinese.