RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, welcomed Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar, H.E. Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, at the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. During the meeting, both defense ministers agreed to expand cooperation in several areas, including military training and education.

“We discussed matters related to military cooperation, joint exercises, education, defense industry collaboration, and other areas. Although we are still in the process of formulating a Defense Cooperation Agreement, today we sign an interim agreement that lead to the final Defense Cooperation Agreement,” Minister Sjafrie conveyed.

He also underscored that Indonesia believes this cooperation will generate mutual benefits and respect between Indonesia and Qatar. He added that both countries are committed to strengthening their defense capabilities and cooperation in the future.

Meanwhile, Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman, stated that the relationship between Indonesia and Qatar is highly strategic, particularly in the defense sector. He noted that he had met with Minister Sjafrie and discussed numerous areas of potential cooperation.

“We have different areas of cooperation. One of them will be in training and military exercises, and the second area is in the defense industry, where we are working together with our brothers in Indonesia,” Sheikh Saoud conveyed.

Following the meeting, the Head of the Defense Information Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, informed the media that one of the key agendas of the visit was the signing of a defense cooperation Statement of Intent between the Republic of Indonesia and the State of Qatar. According to him, this document serves as a follow-up to the Letter of Intent signed in 2021 by the Directorate General of Defense Strategy.

He further explained that the two ministers also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense industry cooperation between Qatar’s Barzan Holding and Indonesia’s defense industry through the Head of the Defense Logistics Agency.

“The Ministry of Defense views Indonesia-Qatar relations as strategically important, providing broad opportunities for cooperation ranging from military education, defense human resource capacity building, and strategic dialogue to defense industry collaboration,” he said.

Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin also presented the Dharma Defense Award to Sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman. The Award is granted by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia to individuals and institutions as a form of appreciation from the Government of Indonesia, particularly the Ministry of Defense, for their contributions and commitment to strengthening friendship and defense cooperation with Indonesia.

“This reflects Indonesia’s appreciation for Qatar’s role as a strategic partner in the Middle East region, not only in defense but also in diplomacy and support for international stability and peace,” Brigadier General Rico explained.

The visit is expected to serve as a catalyst for elevating Indonesia-Qatar defense cooperation to a more advanced and concrete level, delivering tangible benefits for the interests of both nations.