Indo‑Pacific defense drills strengthen cooperation among Indonesia, Malaysia, US and allies

The Indonesian Navy Marine Corps took part in a village‑defence simulation at the RIMPAC 2026 multinational maritime exercise on Griffon Island, Hawaii, alongside forces from the United States, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Fiji, South Korea and Mexico. The drill focused on protecting civilians, evacuating casualties and counter‑attacking a fictional enemy.

Separately, Malaysia, the United States and Australia conducted Exercise Keris Strike 31/2026 in Sabah, Malaysia, a two‑week artillery training program involving Malaysian Royal Artillery, the Oklahoma National Guard and Australian ground forces. The exercise emphasized integrated artillery operations, live‑fire drills, technical exchange and joint‑mission training to improve rapid, accurate fire support across the Indo‑Pacific region.