Indonesia’s Garuda Contingent uses its Pindad SS2 riffle for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) joint shooting exercise with Finnish peacekeepers using its Valmet RK 62/M76. Indonesia has since conducted UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon following the Lebanon War in 2006.
Pindad and UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon
Pindad has participated in the UN peacekeeping missions by sending its Anoa Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) since 2010. Currently, Pindad’s Anoa has spread across several regions, such as 24 units in United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) as a peace mission in Sudan, 20 units in UNIFIL as a peace mission in Lebanon, 4 units in MINUSCA as peace missions in Central Africa and 20 units in MONUSCO as peace missions in Congo. In 2021, Bangladesh is also one of the first countries to order 6 units of Anoa.
Indonesia’s Pindad riffles have been quite popular among Asian countries. In 2021, Pindad reported in March 2021 that 556 SS2s will be exported to Bangladesh. Brunei has also announced plans to buy SS2 assault rifles under a memorandum of understanding signed between Brunei and PT Pindad after purchasing the SS2 in 2018. Myanmar has also expressed interest in acquiring SS2 rifles despite a previous statement from the Indonesian Foreign Minister that no such announcement was made public to Jakarta.
Deals with United Arab Emirates
In July 2022, PT Pindad President Director Abraham Mose – accompanied by Director of Technology & Development Sigit P. Santosa and the Director of Business Strategy Syaifuddin – received a visit from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Delegation consisting of Associate Director of Defense Industry Development Tawazun, Majed Saif Al Shamsi and Manager of Defense Industry Development Tawazun, Mohamed Al Ahbabi and Chief Strategy Officer of Al Yah Satellite Communications Company on 12 July 2022 at the Pindad Auditorium in Bandung. The purpose of this visit is to take a closer look at Pindad’s Defense and Security products and see potential opportunities to work with Pindad. This visit was also attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia in the UAE, Ahrul Tsani Fathurrahman.
Previously on June 30, 2022, Pindad also signed a memorandum of understanding with a company from the UAE Calidus LLC for the development of 8×8 combat vehicle products. The signing was carried out by the President Director of Abraham Mose and the Chairman of Calidus LLC, Faris Al Mazrouei at UAE’s Ministry of Defense Office, Abu Dhabi. The scope of cooperation in the signing of the memorandum of understanding between PT Pindad and Calidus LLC is cooperation in the field of defense in joint development and production, engineering design, technical assistance, and component supply for 8×8 combat vehicle products for desert use and ballistic resistance.
In 2015, during President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s visit in 2015 to Abu Dhabi, Pindad under then director Silmy Karim signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates. The cooperation that has been successfully established by Pindad includes the Transfer of Technology plan and licensing of assault rifles and the distribution and marketing of various ammunition products to Middle Eastern countries through its strategic partner, Continental Aviation Services (CAS). On the other hand, from the UAE, CAS, in collaboration with Rheinmentall Defense (RhD) Canada, will transfer technology and invest in exploring the manufacture of a Remote Weapon System (RWS) under the Pindad brand that can be marketed for the domestic needs of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) or markets in Southeast Asia.
Annual revenue growth of US$ 100 million
In late 2018, Pindad exported 7,300 rounds of 7.62×51 mm caliber munitions and 4,030 units of explosives materials to Thailand. Pindad has been in the business of export sales for a long time. Since 2006, Pindad has intensified its exports to several countries such as Cambodia and Nigeria for assault rifles, Malaysia and Australia for riot control, South Korea, Singapore, Timor Leste and the Philippines for ammunition, Laos for weapons and ammunition, and several other countries in Asia with average sales per year of around US$ 5 million.
Pindad has since expected growth in their export revenues with a total prognosis of 2018 of around US$ 100 million, from exports of G2 Elite pistols for Brunei Darussalam, G2 Elite, Assault Rifles and Ammunition for Malaysia, Assault Rifles, Ammunition and Submachine Guns for the Philippines, and ammunition, assault rifles, and Komodo dragons. In 2013, Pindad estimated a profit of IDR 90 billion.
Pindad’s newest product, the Medium Tank, has also been promoted in several countries in the Southeast Asia region and has received positive responses. It is hoped that in the coming year the product will be able to enter the international market for the leading Pindad in Asia in 2023.
Deals with US, Europe
Following the purchase of 36 Rafale jets from French, Pindad, and other french companies, Safran Electronics & Defense, discussed cooperation in the MK-82 bomb field to support Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) Smart Bombs to be used by the Rafale aircraft the Indonesian.
Pindad sold around one million rounds of ammunition valued at US$ 200,000 to an American sports shooting club. France and the United Kingdom are Indonesia’s top munitions importers. Indonesia imported bullets and ammunition worth US$ 56,800 in January 2014. Germany and Russia have contributed US$ 39,200 and US$ 17,600, respectively.
Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, landmines, and missiles are often imported weapons and ammunition. Artillery weapons (guns, howitzers, and mortars), revolvers and pistols, rifle rounds, rocket launchers, flare launchers, and grenade launchers are among the other imported weapons and ammunition.
There are also several potential projects in the pipeline including a medium tank with FNSS Savunma Sistemleri of Turkey, the production of submarines with Daewoo Shipbuilding of South Korea, vehicle-fixed rocket launchers with MBDA of France, and anti-ship missiles with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
Deals with China
In August 2014, a delegation from the State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) China visited Pindad. The visit was led by Madam Zhan Chunli, who acted as General Director, Department of Military Trade and Foreign Affairs of SASTIND. The visit is a part of the Defense Industry Cooperation Meeting (DCIM) between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and SASTIND which was held on August 21-22, 2014, regarding Indonesia-China cooperation in the defense industry.
The visit resulted in a signing of the Minutes of Meeting (MoM) on the Third Indonesia-China Defense Industry Cooperation Meeting between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense represented by the Director General of Defense Potential, Timbul Siahaan, and SASTIND represented by Zhan. The contents of the MoM cover the various cooperation between Indonesia and China in the defense industry, including cooperation in the supply of propellant powder for small-caliber munitions and components for the manufacture of 155 mm caliber howitzer munitions, as well as the possibility of expanding cooperation in the field of research and development, and combat vehicles development.
Controversy dealings with problematic regimes, non–state actors
Pindad has conducted business with a now problematic actor. Pindad has exported ammunition to Myanmar in 2020, however, the conduct of the business is a year before the 2021 coup d’état by the Myanmar military.
Iraq has expressed interest in obtaining SS2 rifles for its security forces with Iraqi and Indonesian officials having several meetings over possible plans on buying the rifles but there is no acquisition confirmation up to date.
There was also a case where Pindad’s SS2 rifle was handled by problematic non–state actors, these actors are the Free Papua Movement and East Indonesia Mujahideen. The multiple instances of the Pindad’s weapon being used by the Free Papua Movement were reported that the weapons were seized by force by the organization themselves. And it is unknown how Pindad’s SS2 weapon was able to be acquired by East Indonesia Mujahideen’s leader Santoso Abu Wardah.
