Can Kuwait really be Indonesia’s defense ally?

Indonesia’s Defense Ministry says it wants closer military cooperation with Kuwait through training, military education, and strategic dialogue. Officials presented the initiative as part of a long-standing bilateral relationship dating back to 1968. But Kuwait is unlikely to become a central pillar of Indonesia’s defense strategy, and the recent meeting also reflects Jakarta’s lack of clear prioritization in how it engages countries across the Middle East and North Africa region. Indonesia’s main security concerns are in the Indo-Pacific: maritime security, Chinese pressure around the Natuna waters, and military modernization. Those challenges require naval capability, surveillance systems, defense technology, and industrial cooperation. Kuwait contributes little in those areas. It is not an Indo-Pacific military power and does not have a major […]