🛡️ Who is the Indian Defence Attaché in Indonesia?
As of 2025, the Indian Defence Attaché in Indonesia is Captain Shiv Kumar, a senior Indian Army officer appointed to represent the Indian Armed Forces at the Embassy of India in Jakarta. His role is vital in promoting India’s strategic defence partnerships and coordinating bilateral military activities with Indonesia.
In a time of increasing Indo-Pacific tensions and enhanced maritime cooperation, the Indian Defence Attaché acts as India’s military diplomat, maintaining seamless communication between the two nations’ armed forces, ministries, and security agencies.
📌 Key Responsibilities of a Defence Attaché
The Defence Attaché operates under the Ministry of Defence and reports through diplomatic channels. His primary responsibilities include:
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Facilitating joint defence exercises like Garuda Shakti and Samudra Shakti.
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Supporting defence procurement negotiations such as the BrahMos missile deal.
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Promoting defence industrial collaboration and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) cooperation.
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Monitoring and reporting on regional security dynamics including South China Sea developments.
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Coordinating naval visits, joint maritime patrols, and humanitarian missions.
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Engaging with Indonesian military academia and think tanks.
🔥 Controversy: Remarks on Operation Sindoor (2025)
In May 2025, during an academic seminar at a university in Jakarta, Captain Shiv Kumar made comments related to Operation Sindoor, India’s air operation targeting terror bases in Pakistan. His statement about the Indian Air Force being restricted by political directives was taken out of context by local media, creating a diplomatic stir.
The Embassy of India in Jakarta swiftly issued a clarification, emphasizing that the officer’s remarks were misrepresented and did not reflect the Government of India’s stance.
“The views expressed were personal and quoted out of context in the media,” said the Indian mission.
— Source: Times of India
This incident highlighted the sensitivity and diplomatic nuance required in military engagements and public statements abroad.
🤝 India–Indonesia Defence Relations: A Strategic Partnership
India and Indonesia share deep civilizational links and have enhanced their defence relationship under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2018. The bilateral cooperation includes:
✅ Joint Defence Committee & Exercises
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7th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) held in New Delhi (May 2024) emphasized defence production and maritime security.
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Joint Naval Patrols (CORPAT) conducted bi-annually along the Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait.
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Exercise Garuda Shakti – Army-to-Army drills to enhance counter-insurgency training.
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Exercise Samudra Shakti – Naval collaboration focusing on anti-submarine warfare and surface combat drills.
✅ BrahMos Missile Deal in Progress
Indonesia is in advanced negotiations to purchase the BrahMos supersonic missile, jointly developed by India and Russia. If finalized, this would be one of India’s biggest defence export deals in Southeast Asia.
For more on this topic, read: India to Finalize BrahMos Missile Deal with Indonesia (internal link)
🛳️ Maritime Engagements & Port Visits
India and Indonesia actively collaborate in maritime security:
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INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata visited Jakarta in July 2023 for bilateral drills.
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Joint training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) is ongoing under ADMM+.
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India supports the development of Sabang Port, near the strategic Malacca Strait, boosting Indo-Indonesian logistical coordination.
💼 Defence Industry Collaboration
During the Defence Expo in Jakarta (April 2024), 36 Indian companies—including major DPSUs and private firms—showcased Indian-made platforms like:
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Akash Surface-to-Air Missile
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Pinaka Rocket Launchers
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Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
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BrahMos and Pralay Missiles
Indonesia has shown keen interest in co-producing components and availing Indian training expertise in MRO facilities.
🌍 Geopolitical Significance: Indo-Pacific and QUAD Angle
India and Indonesia are critical players in the Indo-Pacific security framework:
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Both nations support freedom of navigation, rule-based order in the South China Sea, and oppose unilateral expansionism.
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The Indian Defence Attaché in Jakarta serves as a channel for multilateral dialogues, contributing to QUAD-like alignment in regional maritime policies.
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Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto attended India’s 2025 Republic Day Parade as the Chief Guest, signaling growing trust and strategic bonding.
🧭 Challenges & Strategic Outlook
✔ Media Misinterpretation
Incidents like the Jakarta seminar controversy indicate that even minor misquotes can result in major diplomatic fallout. Defence officers in diplomatic roles must balance transparency with strategic restraint.
✔ Deepening Military Ties
Going forward, the Indian Defence Attaché will:
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Drive finalization of the BrahMos deal.
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Coordinate defence startups’ exports under the iDEX initiative.
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Promote more officer exchange programs and Navy-to-Navy cooperation.
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Leverage India’s space infrastructure for Indonesia’s maritime domain awareness.
🔍 Why This Matters for India’s Strategic Future
Indonesia is India’s maritime neighbor and one of the most influential members of ASEAN. With increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, India’s defence cooperation with Indonesia offers:
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A strategic counterweight in Southeast Asia.
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Access to the vital Malacca Strait.
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Opportunities for defence exports and private sector collaboration.
The Indian Defence Attaché plays a central role in ensuring this cooperation is deep, steady, and responsive to the evolving security environment.
✅ Conclusion
The Indian Defence Attaché in Indonesia, currently Captain Shiv Kumar, is more than a liaison officer—he is a critical driver of India’s growing strategic presence in Southeast Asia. Through military diplomacy, industry coordination, and geopolitical alignment, the role helps solidify India’s Act East vision.
While controversies like the Operation Sindoor comment underscore the fragility of diplomatic messaging, the broader narrative remains clear: India and Indonesia are on a firm path toward long-term defence and security collaboration.
📰 Stay updated with exclusive defence stories on Viral News 24 Adda (internal link)
🌐 Read official clarification on Captain Shiv Kumar’s remarks at Times of India (external link)