ALOR GAJAH: The Malaysian government is looking to enhance strategic defence cooperation with Indonesia through various bilateral initiatives following its participation in the Indo Defence 2025 expo and forum in Jakarta this week.
Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said Malaysian defence industry players have the potential to break into international markets, particularly Indonesia, through partnerships with local manufacturers.
“Under a new initiative introduced by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, we are not only participating in international defence forums and exhibitions, but also promoting Malaysian-made products to regional markets by bringing along our industry players, particularly those involved in arms manufacturing,“ he said.
“We believe Malaysian defence companies have the potential to penetrate the much larger Indonesian market while also sharing expertise and experience.
“This is crucial to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our defence industry, which must not rely solely on the domestic market,“ he told reporters after officiating the Sentuhan Kasih Ibu Programme organised by the Alor Gajah parliamentary service centre at Kompleks Penyayang Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, Lesung Batu.
Elaborating further, Adly said one of the key outcomes of Malaysia’s participation in Indo Defence 2025 was the signing of Memoranda of Agreement between two Malaysian defence firms and their strategic counterparts in Indonesia, building on earlier Memoranda of Understanding during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025.
He added that the Ministry of Defence delegation had also visited several Indonesian weapons manufacturing plants to explore the use of polymer materials in the production of modern firearms, a move that opens the door to deeper technological collaboration between the two nations.
“Malaysia has a technological edge in polymer production, given our strong oil, gas, and palm oil industries, while Indonesia has extensive expertise in weapons manufacturing.
“By combining these strengths, we can establish a competitive regional defence industry ecosystem. In addition to mutual benefits, such collaborations also hold the potential to contribute to the sustainable growth of the defence sector across Southeast Asia,” he said.
He said all planned collaborations and industry development efforts would be coordinated through the Malaysian Defence Research and Innovation Council (STRIDE).
Adly also announced that a new strategic defence partnership project involving companies from both nations will commence in Shah Alam in October this year.
The Indo Defence 2025 exhibition, held in Jakarta from June 11 to today, featured over 900 exhibitors from 60 countries and served as a key platform for strengthening defence cooperation and unlocking new market opportunities within the regional security sector.
