Indonesia's Goal in Indonesia-Swedia Defense Cooperation

Indonesia and Sweden have worked together since 1952 in various fields, including Human Rights (HAM). However, in 2015 Indonesia and Sweden agreed to cooperate in defense. This cooperation is marked by signing a memorandum of understanding known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation between the two countries, namely Indonesia and Sweden. These cooperations include cooperation in producing and developing key defense systems (alutsista), military education and training, and research cooperation. Indonesian defense minister Ryamizard Rycardu signed the MOU as a representative from Indonesia with Swedish defense minister Carl Anders Peter Hultqvist as a representative from Sweden. 

In this regard, it is important for a country to maintain its national security by strengthening its military and defense. Therefore, there is a need for adequate defense technology, which is a technology that has high quality and is sophisticated. Considering the rapid technological development, not only in transportation, health, industry and so on but also in military and defense industries. In this regard, a country that wants to strengthen its defense system requires a strong and comprehensive defense and security system to keep its sovereignty and security from being threatened. Because the effectiveness of the state's defense is also determined by the technology and capability of the defense industry to meet the procurement and maintenance needs of the main defense system (alutsista). To achieve these interests, Indonesia could not fulfill them independently, given its inadequate capabilities. So Indonesia needs to collaborate and cooperate with other countries. In this context, cooperation with Sweden.

This cooperation is not without reason and purpose, but based on specific goals. As we know, Sweden is one of the countries with advanced and quality defense capabilities and industries. Sweden also supplies military and defense equipment to many countries. The increasing demand for military equipment evidences this. Sweden's capabilities in advanced defense industry technology have been recognized internationally. The Swedish defense industry includes high-tech technologies that produce products specialized in various domains. In addition to providing advanced technological capabilities on fighter jets, Navy ships, submarines, and ground platforms, Sweden also provides a variety of subsystems. Sweden's capabilities are not only advanced and advanced technological capabilities within its armed forces, but also have a competitive level of technology internationally. Sweden, therefore, became an attractive and skilled country for bilateral cooperation. It can serve as a strategic partner for developing the defense industry in Indonesia. Indonesia collaborates with the largest Swedish company SAAB Group as one of the companies that manufacture and export JAS 39 Grippen fighter jets), missiles, weapons, and Navy surface/underwater ships.

The goals of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense's cooperation with Swedish SAAB in defense technology development are:

First, Strengthen the bilateral cooperation relations of Indonesia and Sweden. Indonesia aims to strengthen the long-standing bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Sweden through cooperation in defense technology development. Indonesia aims to increase cooperation with Sweden, especially in defense through this cooperation. As is known, Indonesia and Sweden have been in a cooperative relationship for a long time, but with the cooperation between the Indonesian defense ministry and the Swedish SAAB, it is expected to be a strategy to improve Indonesia's defense cooperation with Sweden. Indonesia sees that Sweden has the potential to partner strategically to develop the Indonesian defense industry. Sweden has an advanced and qualified defense industry, this can accelerate the fulfillment of the main defense system (Alutsista) of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and open up defense industry business opportunities. Indonesia and Sweden have similar foreign policy positions, which are not aligned with any bloc, so Indonesia and Sweden are not bound by alliance regulations in cooperation with the defense industry and are required to be able to build a self-sufficient, independent, and qualified defense industry. This defense cooperation is based on equality, reciprocity, and mutual benefit. Therefore, Indonesia aims to establish cooperative relations in various fields, especially defense. 

Second, Information and Experience Exchange. Through this cooperation, Indonesia and Sweden can work together in exchange for information and experience on issues of mutual concern and interest between Indonesia and Sweden including political, military, and maritime security aspects. Such as maintenance, purchase of defense equipment, military training, and military technology research and development. This exchange of information and experience can provide a better understanding of each other's perspectives and increase cooperation to address common challenges jointly.

Third, Improving Technology. In this case, with the exchange of information, practices, and technology in the defense technology development cooperation, it is expected to improve Indonesia's capabilities in technology. This defense technology cooperation will also be carried out in Indonesia to provide opportunities for Indonesia to collaborate with Sweden. It is well known that Sweden has advanced and quality defense capabilities and industries, so Indonesia can cooperate by conducting fighter production and technology. Indonesia hopes that this cooperation can accelerate independence and improve its technological capabilities to meet the needs of defense alliances. Sweden is considered to have good technology capabilities, and many have advanced defense technology. 

And the last is to replace the obsolete Alutsista. Indonesia has many fighters over 30 years of age and warships over 40 (Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, 2017). Therefore, Indonesia plans to replace the old main defense system (alutsista) with a new one. Indonesia is interested in several Swedish military industries such as weaponry and military technology systems, including the JAS Gripen 39 fighter. In this case, it was conveyed by the Indonesian Minister of Defense. Then, Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist explained in detail about the fighter JAS Grippen 39. The fighter has a travel capability of 1,680 kilometers aka 3,360 kilometers in diameter, or more than half the length of Indonesia. Sweden guarantees multi-purpose single-engine fighter units (Interceptor, ground attack, and observation-control). With the capabilities owned by JAS Gripen 39 aircraft offered by Sweden, Indonesia also needs multi-role fighters and only requires low operating costs while working and system requirements are high. Therefore, Indonesia was interested in replacing its fighter aircraft from Sweden through cooperation between the Indonesian defense ministry and Sweden.

In this case, it shows that in international relations, countries act with each other to fulfill their country's interests and security. In this regard, countries cooperate with each other to achieve these interests. In the Defence Cooperation between Indonesia and Sweden, Indonesia is working with Sweden to fulfill its interests in strengthening the country's defense system by replacing allutsta, training and development in the field of defense technology. In international relations, countries cannot fulfill all of their own country's interests, but require other countries to engage in cooperation in various fields. Because each country has its own advantages and needs each other.

Dian Inda Yani, the author is a student of the International Relations Science program of the University of Yogyakarta Teknologi in 2022. The author's motivation for choosing to study international relations is to learn more about the actions and relationships of the countries, and to learn more about the relationships between the countries. What affected him and on what basis they did. The author's favorite subject is the International Relations Theory course. The writer's favorite lecturer is Mrs. Lucitania Rizky, S.I.P., M.A. And Mr. Muhammad Ridha Iswardhana, S.I.P., M.A. The focus or constellation in international relations that the author will choose is public.