U.S., Indonesia Launch Super Garuda Shield

PHOTO CAPTION: A member of the Canadian Armed Forces speaks with members of the U.S. Armed Forces during the opening ceremony of Super Garuda Shield, an annual joint military exercise involving Indonesia, U.S., and several other nations, in Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia, August 31, 2026. REUTERS/Claudio Pramana

BANDUNG, Indonesia, Aug. 31 — The United States and Indonesia launched their annual Super Garuda Shield military exercises Monday, the first edition since the two countries announced a new defense partnership earlier this year.

The multinational drills will run through Sept. 11 and involve more than 4,700 personnel, with 13 other countries participating, including Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada. Training will take place across several areas of Indonesia and include tactical airborne jumps, infiltration exercises, Stinger missile firing, jungle warfare training, naval maneuvers and cyber defense.

Super Garuda Shield has been held annually since 2006. This year’s exercise follows an April agreement between the U.S. and Indonesian defense ministers establishing a broader defense cooperation partnership that Jakarta has said will include U.S. support for military modernization and troop training.

“We are not just meeting for another annual training cycle. We are writing a historic new chapter in our bilateral relationship,” Major General Patrick Ellis, commanding general of the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said during the opening ceremony in Bandung.

Indonesia has long pursued a non-aligned foreign policy, with President Prabowo Subianto pledging to maintain friendly relations with countries including both the United States and China.

Earlier this month, Indonesia also agreed to expand military ties with Beijing during a visit by China’s foreign and defense ministers.

Disaster response also part of drills

Super Garuda Shield will include humanitarian and disaster-relief training, reflecting Indonesia’s exposure to earthquakes, landslides and other natural disasters.

The country is an archipelago of about 17,000 islands with more than 100 active volcanoes and sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara earlier this month killed more than 100 people.

Indonesia has also been battling widespread wildfires. Nearly 95,000 hectares, or 234,750 acres, burned in July, almost twice the amount damaged during the previous six months, with smoke contributing to respiratory problems and school closures.

(Source: Reuters)