Buenos Aires, April 13 (NA)— U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met on Monday at the Pentagon with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and agreed to elevate the bilateral defense relationship to an "important alliance of cooperation" in defense. This new alliance will serve as a framework to "strengthen operational collaboration, drive defense modernization, and increase training and interoperability," the Pentagon's chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement accessed by the Argentine News Agency. During the meeting, Hegseth congratulated Indonesia on its participation in the Peace Council and its leading role in the International Stabilization Force designed for Gaza. Hegseth and Sjamsoeddin addressed various common objectives, including strengthening special forces training and professional military training. Under the program, both countries will explore "mutually agreed cutting-edge initiatives, including the joint development of sophisticated asymmetric capabilities, next-generation defense technologies in the maritime, submarine, and autonomous systems domains, and cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul to enhance operational readiness".
