Amidst the sabre-rattling by the Chinese Navy, two democracies of the region -- India and Indonesia -- have silently joined hands to conduct what will be their first-ever joint aerial combat exercise.
The exercise is expected to intensify the maritime security cooperation between the two countries that are separated by the Indian Ocean.
India and Indonesia both use Sukhoi Su-30 combat jets. India extensively uses Su-30 with the MKI variant as its air superiority fighter and Indonesia uses the MK or MK 2 variants. Indonesia also uses BAE Hawk jets, which India is now making them under license agreement from BAE Systems. Both countries also use Lockheed Martin's C-130 Hercules.
Apart from the commonality of some their hardware, the armies of the two countries conduct joint training exercise Garuda Shakti. Both the countries are expected to upgrade the Garuda Shakti exercises.
India and Indonesia are looking to boost their defence ties, given China's military build up in the South China Sea.
India has offered to train the Indonesian Navy in submarine operations. Jakarta uses two German-made submarines and has ordered three attack submarines from South Korea
The strategic interests of both the countries match, even as the navies of both the countries conduct coordinated patrols on their respective sides of the international maritime boundary line (IMBL), since 2002.
The two countries are separated by the Straits of Malacca, which are some of the busiest trading routes. Both the counties have shared information about merchant ships and are reported to eventually negotiate a new Comprehensive Defence Cooperation Agreement, reported the Tribune.
Later this year, the two countries are expected to hold a defence ministers' dialogue and joint defence cooperation committee meetings.
India is looking to ramp up defence, economic and trade with members of the ASEAN with its "Act East" policy which will see more interaction with different levels of government and ministries.
