Strategic NewsIndonesia, United States Kick Off Annual Multinational Military Exercises
Indonesia, United States Kick Off Annual Multinational Military Exercises
Capt. Kyle Abraham / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
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Indonesia, United States Kick Off Annual Multinational Military Exercises

The Diplomat Institutional·2026-09-01AllianceP6: Defence SurgeP7: Alliance Architecture
Why it matters

Australia participates in a major Southeast Asian deterrence exercise that reinforces the alliance architecture underpinning Indo-Pacific stability and directly counters the strategic space China would exploit through Indonesian accommodation. The exercise's expansion to include more nations (13 participants, India as first-time observer) and focus on interoperability strengthens the multilateral security posture that constrains Chinese options in the region.

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Where this sits in the model

This development bears on 2 of the eight pillars of Australian preparedness — the overall picture right now is 5/100.

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One signal in a live tracker of Australia's preparedness.

Every story here is scored against eight pillars — defence, energy, industry, fiscal reform, alliances and more — companion to the book Unprepared: Australia in an Age of Chinese Power.

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