Air Chief Calls on Indonesian President & Military Leadership During His Visit to Indonesia

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: During his official visit to Indonesia, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force called on Indonesian President H.E Prabowo Subianto. Upon his arrival, the Air Chief was received by the Indonesian President at the Presidential Complex in Jakarta. During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the shared values and aspirations that form the foundation of the deep-rooted brotherhood between Pakistan and Indonesia. He also expressed his unwavering commitment to enhance the existing bilateral ties in Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation with Indonesia, especially in the fields of training, Air Defence and defence production. President Prabowo Subianto praised Pakistan Air Force’s progress in niche technologies such as ISR, Cyber, Space, Electronic Warfare and Unmanned Aerial Systems which aligns with the current PAF leadership’s focus on development of Multi-Domain Capabilities. The Indonesian President also acknowledged the remarkable progress achieved by Pakistan’s aerospace industry, particularly in cutting-edge design, advanced research and software development in recent years. He conveyed a keen interest in leveraging the state-of-the-art training ecosystem and aerospace development infrastructure spearheaded by the Pakistan Air Force, underscoring his desire to foster deeper collaboration and mutual growth in the domains of niche technologies.

Earlier, Chief of the Air Staff held a series of high-level meetings with Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia; Lieutenant General (Retd) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces; General Agus Subiyanto, and Chief of Air Staff of the Indonesian Air Force; Air Marshal Tonny Harjono. Upon arrival at both venues of engagement, the Air Chief was accorded a historic welcome, where smartly turned-out contingents of the Indonesian Armed Forces presented him Guard of Honour reflecting the deep respect, warmth and enduring bonds shared between the two nations.

The meeting with Chief of Air Staff of the Indonesian Air Force featured comprehensive discussions on matters of mutual interest including avenues for enhanced Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation, joint training initiatives ranging from basic to advanced level training, professional exchange programs and collaboration in the evolving aerospace domains. The Indonesian Air Chief conveyed his keen interest in drawing upon the rich operational experience of Pakistan Air Force pilots and sought PAF’s support in advancing professional and flying training initiatives. In response, Chief of the Air Staff reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to extending full support in strengthening the professional capacity and training framework of the Indonesian Air Force. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Air Chief was bestowed with the prestigious Medal of Honour; the highest military award of the Indonesian Air Force. The illustrious award presented by the Indonesian Air Chief, on behalf of Government of the Republic of Indonesia, reflects Indonesia’s profound appreciation for Pakistan Air Force’s professional excellence and acknowledges the Air Chief’s steadfast commitment to advancing meaningful and enduring air power collaboration between the two Air Forces. The conferment ceremony, marked by military decorum and mutual respect, reflected the deep-rooted fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Indonesia.

The Air Chief also held a joint meeting with the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia and the Chief of Defence Forces, where an extensive range of defence and security matters came under deliberation. The dignitaries appreciated the professional excellence of Pakistan Air Force and its modernization drive under the current leadership. The Indonesian defence leadership also lauded the advanced technological infrastructure of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park while expressing a strong desire to leverage PAF’s expertise in niche technologies in order to enhance futuristic aerospace and aviation capabilities of the Indonesian Armed Forces.

The historic visit of the Chief of the Air Staff to Indonesia marks a significant milestone in Pakistan–Indonesia defence relations and reflects the growing momentum in bilateral military ties. The engagements reaffirm the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen professional collaboration, mutual trust and an enduring defence partnership.