JAKARTA – Since February, Indonesia has signed three major defence agreements – with Australia, the United States, and now Japan. For a country long associated with a more measured, non-aligned approach, the pace is striking.

The deals, largely with Western partners and their allies, have raised questions on what is driving this burst of activity and what it means for Indonesia’s geopolitical positioning – even as its military is being stretched by civilian duties at home.

“It is interesting indeed to see the pace of the signings,” independent defence analyst Fauzan Malufti told The Straits Times.

“It clearly demonstrates how Indonesia is becoming increasingly active in upgrading its security cooperation with key partners, a trend that has been observed since Mr Prabowo became the defence minister in 2019.”

Indonesia’s Feb 6 treaty with its closest neighbour Canberra signals deeper coordination on regional security, while the April 13 pact with Washington is geared towards military modernisation, training and joint exercises.

The most recent one on May 4 with Japan covers collaboration in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, joint exercises and maritime cooperation. It came after Japan eased decades-old restrictions on arms exports in April.

Indonesian officials have framed the deals as moves to secure Sou...