4,700 troops join Indonesia-US drills as Jakarta balances China ties

Indonesia, the United States and more than a dozen allies launched the annual Super Garuda Shield drills to bolster defense capabilities and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific. About 4,700 troops from countries including Britain, France and Japan are participating, with observers from East Timor, Italy and Thailand, and the exercises span multiple locations in Indonesia. The program includes infiltration training, cyber defense, missile firing, jungle operations and naval maneuvers, building the readiness needed as regional dynamics shift. The drills follow a new defence partnership signed in April, with Jakarta stressing non-alignment and balancing ties with the United States, China, and Russia as it modernizes its forces. Indonesia’s leadership has emphasized befriending all nations, including recent engagements with Beijing alongside ongoing U.S. cooperation. U.S. Major General Patrick Ellis said the exercises mark a historic new chapter in the bilateral relationship and underscore a shared commitment to regional stability.