Uncertainty has been growing globally. Once everything becomes uncertain, one should be ready for any scenario and at any cost. Nowadays, we see countries looking for partners while investing in domestic and national production, especially military industries. The capability to produce any weapons at home makes things more transparent and deters others.

Hence, the partnership between Türkiye and Indonesia in the defense sector is raising eyebrows in the region and beyond. Several Turkish defense companies have partnered with their Indonesian counterparts. Besides, exchanging know-how plays another role in building trust with Indonesia, which is close to the heart but far on the map.

We can also see Indonesia as a potential game changer in the region that any political actor would like to partner with due to its stable economy, powerful military, hardworking and active population, strategic location and natural resources. Therefore, Türkiye’s efforts to forge strong and solid ties with Indonesia in the Far East are crucial not only for regional dynamics but also for the broader global landscape.

Lately, the volume of cooperation has been remarkable, but I believe both sides need to increase the frequency of mutual visits across all areas. Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Muhammad Herinda paid an official visit to Türkiye in July 2024. President-elect for 2024-2029 and Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo traveled to Ankara in July 2024 and held meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Djojohadikusumo even had time to visit the Bayraktar technology company. Then Jakarta welcomed Defense Minister Yaşar Güler on Aug. 22, 2024.

Indonesia understands that stability in its periphery directly contributes to its own internal strength. That is why the Indonesian leadership focuses on developing weapons, which will play an essential role in the nation's interests. Indonesia’s stability ensures regional security and peace. Therefore, cooperation in the defense industry will contribute to both nations' peace and stability, both domestically and internationally.

I’m sure many other Turkish defense companies are interested in cooperating with their Indonesian counterparts. The two nations have already tied the knot in several fields: research and development, tank production, software and training. These partnerships will be forging the trust between the two countries. Ankara and Jakarta, as regional powers, can do more and play a significant role in contributing to regional and global stability and peace.

Besides the ties of technological developments and defense investments, there are other areas that Ankara and Jakarta would like to pay attention to. Similar to Türkiye, Indonesia shows great solidarity with Palestine, expressing the clearest statements about the Palestine-Israel conflict. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, said: "We will never give up. I repeat we will never give up. We will continue to help support the struggle of our Palestinian brothers."

Consequently, Indonesia and Türkiye, representing the Muslim world and growing respective regional powers, should remain stable and mighty while giving each other more opportunities to deepen their cooperation. Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia, can offer Türkiye a bridge to the region, while Türkiye can extend a path for Indonesia into Europe and beyond.