The Indonesian Navy and the Russian Navy held a joint exercise in Indonesia on Monday, November 4, 2024, the first held ever such military exercise between both nations.
The exercise was carried out in Surabaya and off the Java Sea as part of the Joint Exercise ORRUDA 2024. Previously, the Indonesian Navy was involved in a joint regional exercise along with Russia in 2021 at the ASEAN level.
The opening ceremony for the ORRUDA 2024 was presided by Commander of the Indonesian Naval Fleet Command, Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata, together with Russian Ambassador Sergey Gennadievich Tolchenov.
Admiral Denih said the exercise aims to improve interoperability between the two navies by aligning perceptions in various tactical scenarios.
“We hope that this cooperation will strengthen military relations with Russia and support the joint mission for maritime security,” he said in a statement obtained by Indonesia Business Post on Tuesday, November 5, 2024
The five-day exercise took place in two stages, namely the harbor/port phase and the sea phase. In the port phase, soldiers underwent Tactical Floor Game (TFG) exercises in Surabaya to discuss operational strategies and tactical coordination.
The 2024 ORRUDA exercise involved a number of main weapons system equipment from both forces. The Indonesian Navy deployed KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 (KRI GNR-332), KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368 (KRI FKO-368), and the AS 565 MBE helicopter. Meanwhile, the Russian Navy brings along three corvette-class warships, namely RF Rezky, RF Gromky, and RF Aldar Tsydenzhapov, as well as a medium tanker, KA-27 helicopter, and a tugboat.
In addition to strengthening readiness for the sea phase, the Indonesian Navy and the Russian Navy also carried out “deck familiarization” and “ship tour” activities to get to know each other’s ships, as well as conducting Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) exercises. This exercise focuses on developing the skills of boarding teams and helicopter pilots in dealing with emergency situations at sea.
Admiral Denih added that this exercise was held to improve good relations, military diplomacy between Indonesia and Russia, especially the Navy, in line with Indonesia’s free and active policy. He quoted President Prabowo Subianto statement that “A hundred friends are still not enough, but one enemy is too many and this military exercise is one form of diplomatic activity.”
“Maritime Security Exercise aligns perceptions on how we train and establish a united view on the importance of maritime security. Maritime security is very important and we should be able to protect and respect each other’s sovereignty in each other’s territory,” Denih said.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the Flotilla of the Russian Navy, Rear Admiral Aleksei Tysuev said this joint exercise is important because it can help in dealing with critical situations so that both nations are always ready for any developing situations.
Analysts says this joint exercise is one of the initiatives of the newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto to increase military cooperation with major countries. In July, Prabowo, in his capacity as Defense Minister, visited Russia to deepen bilateral relations. In the midst of its neutral position regarding the Ukrainian conflict, Indonesia continues to foster defense cooperation with Russia as a strategic partner.
The name ORRUDA is a combination of the national symbols of the two countries, namely Orel (Russian Eagle) and Garuda (Indonesian Eagle).
