Learning from India’s experience
Earlier this month, a delegation of Indonesian defense officials was touring Pakistan and China to conclude comprehensive defense cooperation with the two countries. This is the first kind of defense cooperation signed by Indonesia with foreign countries that would allow Indonesia to procure military hardware and materials as well as exchange of defense knowledge and technology. This deal would help Indonesian government in improving its defense system.
In line with this development, Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) has finally agreed to ratify the Memorandum of Understanding in Defense Cooperation between India and Indonesia signed in New Delhi, on 11 January 2001. Contrary to the five-years time taken by the DPR to ratify this important MoU, the Indian government has ratified the MoU immediately after its signing by the then Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and India’s PM AB Vajpayee.
Even though Chinese defense technology and industry is far superior than the Indian’s, but considering the progress achieved by India in the field of defense system over the years, it is such a strange phenomenon that Indonesia took the whole of five-years to finally decide that the MoU is worth of being converted into a working defense agreement. India’s ability to access Russian, European, Israeli and now US technologies, is something that needs some consideration.
At the same time, it is also important to note here that besides the immense progress achieved by India in the field of defense over the years India has also become an important market and partner for development ever since it opened its market in the late 1990s. Its thriving economy and democracy became a success story that development and democracy can go hand in hand.
India's founding fathers have done a great job in ensuring India's capability to stand on its own through the adoption of the concept of swadeshi (self-fulfillment). From education to economy, defense to development, India has cemented this spirit successfully in the minds of its people.
In developing its defense technology and military hardware, India adopted the concept of independence. The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Defense Public Sector Units (PSUs) become the backbone in this process. Through close partnership with foreign countries such as the former Soviet Union (now with Russia), India succeeded in transforming itself from a buyer into a builder and developer of defense technology and military hardware. The self-reliance process, through cultivating India's own resources over the years, proved to be very effective in this transformation.
The successful launching of an indigenously built short-range air-to-air Astra missile early this month and the latest Agni series, Agni-III a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 4,000 kilometers, last Thursday proved the improving capability of Indian defense system. India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under an Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983 has successfully developed the technology.
India's success story in developing a self-reliance system has finally impressed Indonesian leadership to take realistic actions. The ratification of the MOU on limited defense cooperation has opened an opportunity for Indonesia to expand its defense cooperation. It has become a starting point to rebuild Indonesia's defense technology and military hardware.
Having concluded the defense agreement with Pakistan and China that would allow the transfer of military hardware and technology between Indonesia and the two countries, the ratification of the MoU with India would also allow the procurement of military hardware. The interest shown by Indonesian Navy Commander Admiral Slamet Soebijanto to acquire India’s ship-to-land supersonic cruise missile Brahmos on his recent visit to India proves the importance of having better defense cooperation with India.
It is no secret that both India and Indonesia have long been involved in an exchange program for their military officers. Both Indonesian and Indian Navies have been maintaining very close cooperation over the past few years and have been participated in bilateral as well as multilateral exercises in Andaman seas, Malacca Straits as well as in waters off the Indian coast. Thus the ratification of the MoU and the plan to acquire the Brahmos from India could be seen as a good sign for an improving bilateral relationship.
India is a fast emerging power both economically and militarily. Despite the oddities found in India (urban India) and Bharat (rural India), India as a country is improving each day. International attention is now on India, a self-declared nuclear country with thriving economy and vibrant democracy. Indonesia can learn a lot from India’s experiences. Especially on defense technology, Indonesia can emulate what India has done so far: indigenization of foreign technology for local use. At the same time, workable regional security cooperation can also be built through this process. The Indonesian leadership should chalk out long-term objectives to create self-reliance in the country, a model for future Indonesia.
In line with this development, Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) has finally agreed to ratify the Memorandum of Understanding in Defense Cooperation between India and Indonesia signed in New Delhi, on 11 January 2001. Contrary to the five-years time taken by the DPR to ratify this important MoU, the Indian government has ratified the MoU immediately after its signing by the then Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and India’s PM AB Vajpayee.
Even though Chinese defense technology and industry is far superior than the Indian’s, but considering the progress achieved by India in the field of defense system over the years, it is such a strange phenomenon that Indonesia took the whole of five-years to finally decide that the MoU is worth of being converted into a working defense agreement. India’s ability to access Russian, European, Israeli and now US technologies, is something that needs some consideration.
At the same time, it is also important to note here that besides the immense progress achieved by India in the field of defense over the years India has also become an important market and partner for development ever since it opened its market in the late 1990s. Its thriving economy and democracy became a success story that development and democracy can go hand in hand.
India's founding fathers have done a great job in ensuring India's capability to stand on its own through the adoption of the concept of swadeshi (self-fulfillment). From education to economy, defense to development, India has cemented this spirit successfully in the minds of its people.
In developing its defense technology and military hardware, India adopted the concept of independence. The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Defense Public Sector Units (PSUs) become the backbone in this process. Through close partnership with foreign countries such as the former Soviet Union (now with Russia), India succeeded in transforming itself from a buyer into a builder and developer of defense technology and military hardware. The self-reliance process, through cultivating India's own resources over the years, proved to be very effective in this transformation.
The successful launching of an indigenously built short-range air-to-air Astra missile early this month and the latest Agni series, Agni-III a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 4,000 kilometers, last Thursday proved the improving capability of Indian defense system. India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under an Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983 has successfully developed the technology.
India's success story in developing a self-reliance system has finally impressed Indonesian leadership to take realistic actions. The ratification of the MOU on limited defense cooperation has opened an opportunity for Indonesia to expand its defense cooperation. It has become a starting point to rebuild Indonesia's defense technology and military hardware.
Having concluded the defense agreement with Pakistan and China that would allow the transfer of military hardware and technology between Indonesia and the two countries, the ratification of the MoU with India would also allow the procurement of military hardware. The interest shown by Indonesian Navy Commander Admiral Slamet Soebijanto to acquire India’s ship-to-land supersonic cruise missile Brahmos on his recent visit to India proves the importance of having better defense cooperation with India.
It is no secret that both India and Indonesia have long been involved in an exchange program for their military officers. Both Indonesian and Indian Navies have been maintaining very close cooperation over the past few years and have been participated in bilateral as well as multilateral exercises in Andaman seas, Malacca Straits as well as in waters off the Indian coast. Thus the ratification of the MoU and the plan to acquire the Brahmos from India could be seen as a good sign for an improving bilateral relationship.
India is a fast emerging power both economically and militarily. Despite the oddities found in India (urban India) and Bharat (rural India), India as a country is improving each day. International attention is now on India, a self-declared nuclear country with thriving economy and vibrant democracy. Indonesia can learn a lot from India’s experiences. Especially on defense technology, Indonesia can emulate what India has done so far: indigenization of foreign technology for local use. At the same time, workable regional security cooperation can also be built through this process. The Indonesian leadership should chalk out long-term objectives to create self-reliance in the country, a model for future Indonesia.
blog by Mas Qisa'i at 2:04:00 PM
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