Cyber specialists from the Australian Defence Force and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) gathered at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta this month to exchange insights and practical strategies to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The cyber seminar, part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour, examined emerging threats and vulnerabilities in connected systems, as nation-backed cyber groups increase their activity across the Indo-Pacific.
Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Jordan Norrish, a defensive cyber planner at Headquarters Joint Operations Command, said the two nations were closely aligned in their objectives.
"The most valuable part was realising very quickly that the TNI share the same concerns and objectives as us," Lieutenant Colonel Norrish said.
"When their commander read out his objectives for the workshop, they could just as easily have been written by the ADF."
He said he was particularly interested in how Indonesia connected its military cyber efforts with other parts of government.
"From what I have seen, the TNI have clear ways of working with other government entities," Lieutenant Colonel Norrish said.
Throughout the seminar, participants shared practical ways to promote cyber awareness across units and commands, encouraged timely reporting of suspicious activity, and built a baseline understanding of cyber risk among non-specialist personnel.
'This experience will support our efforts to build better processes and prepare for future challenges.'
They also discussed how resilient, well-defended networks enabled both nations to operate effectively with partners and contribute to a stable, secure and open Indo-Pacific region.
"Workshops like this help us understand each other's systems and challenges," Lieutenant Colonel Norrish said.
"Over time there may be scope to look at more focused activities, subject-matter exchanges or opportunities to include cyber elements in other exercises where it makes sense."
Lieutenant Robby Wahyu Hutomo, of the TNI Navy Cyber Centre, said the seminar gave him a clearer understanding of how Australia approached cyber security and why cooperation was essential.
"This seminar gave me a wider view of cyber security and showed why it's important for Indonesia and Australia to work together," Lieutenant Hutomo said.
"It's about sharing ideas and learning from each other so we can improve our own systems and respond better to threats."
He said one of the most useful parts was seeing how the ADF connected policy with everyday operations.
"I found it very helpful to see how cyber policy is applied in real situations," he said.
"It showed that policy is not just theory. It can guide practical steps to make systems stronger and protect networks from real threats."
Lieutenant Hutomo said the knowledge gained would help TNI strengthen its own approach.
"This experience will support our efforts to build better processes and prepare for future challenges," he said.
Indo-Pacific Endeavour is Australia's flagship regional engagement activity.
