PUBLISHED ONJuly 15, 2026 9:37 AMBYSean LerGood relations between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indonesia National Armed Forces (TNI) can foster trust between the two countries, and in turn, promote peace in the broader region, said Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing.
Together with his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, the two defence ministers on Tuesday (July 14) launched the Indonesia-Singapore Defence Alumni Initiative, known as Persahabatan Alumni Pertahanan, or PERSAHAN during a ceremony in Jakarta.
The name combines two Indonesian words — persahabatan and alumni pertahanan — which means friendship and defence alumni.
In a statement the same day, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said the initiative will provide a platform to strengthen the enduring people-to-people ties between the two armed forces, thereby allowing relationships to continue growing across generations.
The alumni’s membership will comprise SAF and TNI officers who have graduated from courses in Singapore and Indonesia respectively, as well as current and former defence attaches and assistant defence attaches to Singapore and Indonesia.
Both the SAF's and TNI's chief of defence forces will be the co-presidents of the alumni to provide guidance on its plans and activities
Turning to the relationship between the two armed forces, Chan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Public Services said that it has "stood the test of time".
"Little by little, over time it becomes a hill. Our partnership has grown steadily over the past 50 years, forged through shared challenges and mutual support," he said, as he highlighted the breadth of partnership — spanning operations and training.
"These efforts exemplify the close partnership and trust that we have built over decades. However, the true strength of our partnership lies in the personal trust built between our people," the defence minister added.
Referring to his tenure as Singapore's army attache when he was serving in the SAF, Chan said he made "many good friends" in the TNI, including his counterpart, adding that good relations between the SAF and TNI foster trust between both countries.
He also highlighted that the alumni initiative represents a shared commitment to fostering deeper ties for the future.
The co-development of the Siabu Air Weapons Range, as well as training facilities in Batu Raja and West Kalimantan represents the commitment to explore new opportunities, Chan said.
These upcoming projects were announced during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's recent one-day visit to Jakarta, Indonesia, for the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat.
Citing a proverb widely used in Indonesia and Malaysia, Chan stated that burdens are lighter when carried together.
"The trust that we build over the years will become our shared resilience for the future.
"We have done much together, we have much more to do, and I hope that with your support, we will continue planting the seeds of mutual trust and cooperation for generations to come," he said.
Chan is on a two-day visit to Jakarta till Wednesday.
Apart from the alumni initiative, Singapore's defence minister also attended the Singapore Armed Forces Day reception and met with other leaders in the Indonesian government.
"The visit underscores the strong and longstanding defence relationship between Singapore and Indonesia, and both countries are committed to further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation," Mindef said.
[[nid:739701]]
