The Evolving Maritime Relationship Between Australia and Indonesia

Under a proposed agreement between Australia and Indonesia, Australian naval forces will be authorized to enter Indonesian waters in response to distress calls from stranded vessels, according to an Aug. 2 report by The Jakarta Post. The agreement follows a number of deadly incidents involving ships carrying asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia. The article noted that no official agreement would be signed until September and that Australian access would be limited to emergency search and rescue operations.

Indonesia's security and stability has long been at the core of the Australian-Indonesian relationship, and with naval activity and competition increasing in Asia's maritime sphere — specifically in the South China Sea — Australia's security interests in the region are growing as well. The decision to authorize Australian vessels to enter Indonesian territorial waters, whatever its stated purpose and explicit limitations, points to a subtle widening of Australia’s maritime security perimeter and a shift in Indonesia's role in Australian strategy.