Russia strengthens military cooperation with Indonesia as Kilo II submarine and corvette arrive in Jakarta

Yesterday, the Russian Embassy in Indonesia announced the arrival of a Kilo II submarine, a corvette and support vessels in the South-East Asian nation, opening a new phase of military cooperation between Moscow and Jakarta. The Russian Navy detachment’s arrival in the Indonesian capital underlines a bilateral relationship that has maintained operational continuity and expanded defence cooperation in recent years.

Russian Navy Kilo II submarine and corvette arrive in Jakarta

According to the statement, a Russian Pacific Fleet group reached the port of Tanjung Priok, comprising the corvette Gromky, the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky submarine - a Kilo II-class vessel - and the support ship Andrey Stepanov. Rear Admiral Evgeny N. Myasoedov, Deputy Commander of Forces and Assets in the North-East of the Pacific Fleet, and Marine Corps Brigadier General Dian Suryansyah, Deputy Commander of Indonesia’s Naval Regional Command III, led the welcome ceremony. Both officials stressed the enduring character of naval ties between the two countries.

The two officers highlighted the value of keeping dialogue open and conducting regular operational activities between the Russian and Indonesian navies. They stated that such exchanges help maintain Asia-Pacific stability and strengthen cooperation arrangements covering port calls, technical exchanges and communications exercises. Also that day, Sergei Tolchenov, the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, visited the deployed vessels to review their capabilities and prepare for forthcoming activities.

The programme for the visit includes working meetings, ceremonial engagements and sporting activities involving the crews, all standard elements of this kind of naval deployment. Joint exercises centred on manoeuvres and maritime communications are expected after these events have concluded. The vessels will stay in Jakarta for several days before resuming their operational itinerary.

Background to Russia–Indonesia defence cooperation

The expansion of current cooperation follows recent examples, including the Orruda 2024 exercises, which took place in Surabaya and the Java Sea between 4 and 8 November that year. The drills involved harbour and naval stages, and were the first bilateral exercises of this type since Indonesia gained independence 79 years ago. Several Russian corvettes and the support ship Pechenga took part, illustrating greater coordination in tactical and logistical fields alike.

The defence relationship has also extended to other areas, including military aviation. In 2019, a Jakarta source told the Interfax agency that Russia and Indonesia had agreed on the sale of 11 Su-35 fighter aircraft following almost four years of negotiations. The same source said that the 1.1 billion-dollar agreement would be partly paid through a compensation arrangement involving palm oil, rubber and other Indonesian goods, according to information from sources close to Rosoboronexport.

The arrival in Jakarta of the Kilo II submarine and the corvette Gromky continues this pattern of sustained collaboration between the two states. The Russian naval deployment reinforces the Pacific Fleet’s presence in South-East Asia and enables Indonesia to widen its network of strategic partners, while both governments retain an interest in advancing joint initiatives on maritime security and naval technological exchange.