Admiral Ali’s visit also included engagements at key maritime establishments

o bolster maritime collaboration, the Indian and Indonesian navies on Monday discussed operational cooperation, joint exercises and strategies to combat piracy and other maritime challenges.

Admiral Muhammad Ali, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, met with Indian Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi during his official visit to India as part of the high-level delegation accompanying President Prabowo Subianto.

The Defence Ministry stated, “Admiral Ali and Admiral Tripathi held bilateral interactions to deepen maritime cooperation and strengthen ties between the two close maritime neighbours.”

The discussions focused on advancing joint initiatives like ‘Exercise Samudra Shakti’, strengthening operational collaboration and addressing shared challenges, including piracy and illegal maritime activities.

Admiral Ali’s visit also included engagements at key maritime establishments, including Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), Weapons and Electronics Systems and Engineering Establishment, focusing on technological and strategic advancements.

He also visited BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, exchanging insights on strengthening bilateral cooperation in defence and strategy. Indonesia is in talks to procure the BrahMos missile from India under a $450 million deal. A high-level defence delegation from Indonesia is expected in the coming weeks to finalise details, including discussions on building warships for the Indonesian Navy and Coast Guard by Indian shipyards.

Indonesia’s geographic position across critical shipping routes, including the Malacca Strait, underscores its importance in regional security. Jakarta plays a key role in securing this vital maritime chokepoint and conducts coordinated patrols with Malaysia and Singapore.

Admiral Ali also met Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. Their discussions cantered on enhancing the strategic partnership and defence cooperation between the two nations.