Relationship dossier
Australia
Indonesia
Relationship assessment
A substantial partnership in security and trade, periodically strained by serious political disputes.
Australia toward Indonesia
+25Australia has pursued structured security cooperation with Indonesia through the 2006 Lombok Treaty and has developed economic ties through the bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement, effective from 2020. Australian intelligence activity targeting Indonesian leaders, revealed in 2013, caused a serious diplomatic dispute.
Indonesia toward Australia
+25Indonesia has participated in bilateral security cooperation under the Lombok Treaty and in the comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Australia. In 2013, Indonesia recalled its ambassador and suspended some cooperation after revelations of Australian surveillance. Indonesia’s 2015 execution of two Australian citizens also caused a major diplomatic dispute.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship rests on durable security and economic frameworks, including the Lombok Treaty and the comprehensive economic partnership agreement. These arrangements support sustained cooperation, while disputes over surveillance and the executions of Australian citizens have periodically damaged trust. The enduring structure is cooperative but marked by significant recurring political strains.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Australia and Indonesia maintain a substantial partnership spanning security, trade and regional cooperation. The 2006 Lombok Treaty established a framework for security cooperation, and the two countries’ comprehensive economic partnership agreement took effect in 2020. Relations have also faced serious strains, including disputes over Australian intelligence activity and Indonesia’s executions of Australian citizens. The relationship combines durable cooperation with recurring political friction.
Areas of tension
- Australian surveillance of Indonesian leaders, revealed in 2013.
- Indonesia’s 2015 execution of Australian citizens Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
- Australia’s 1999-led intervention in East Timor, which strained relations with Indonesia.
Key developments
Australia and Indonesia signed the Lombok Treaty, establishing a framework for security cooperation.
Revelations of Australian surveillance of Indonesian leaders prompted a serious diplomatic dispute and suspension of some cooperation.
The Australia–Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force.
Indonesia executed Australian citizens Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, causing a major diplomatic dispute.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of security cooperation under bilateral arrangements are unclear.
- The extent to which past political disputes continue to affect government cooperation is uncertain.