Indonesia-Australia Defence Alumni Association — 70 years Indonesia-Australia

The Indonesia-Australia Defence Alumni Association (Ikahan) was established in March 2011 with two objectives. First, to foster the people-to-people links established between Indonesian and Australian Defence Forces. Second, to keep the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the broader Australian and Indonesian defence communities informed of developments in the bilateral defence relationship.

Over the last eight years, Ikahan has become an integral part of the Australia-Indonesia bilateral defence relationship. Membership is open to all military personnel and defence officials who have had first-hand experience of the defence relationship, either through education and training, exercises, staff exchanges, strategic dialogues, postings to the other country, or other bilateral activities.

Ikahan has its origins in the experience of His Excellency the Honourable David Hurley, now Governor-General of Australia. While serving as Australia’s Vice Chief of Defence Force Hurley reconnected with one of the officers he first met in 1974 during the first cadet exchange between the Royal Military College Duntroon, and the Indonesian Military Academy (then known as AKABRI). Hurley saw the need for the relationships between Indonesian and Australian military personnel to be fostered over time, and Ikahan was established to meet this requirement.

In the last eight years, Ikahan has grown in size to around 2,800 members. With its annual program of evening lectures, academic seminars, alumni dinners and sporting and cultural events, it has proven instrumental in maintaining links between the TNI and ADF. Indeed, for some in Indonesia, Ikahan has become a byword for the relationship as a whole. The Ikahan motto is a testament to Australia’s and Indonesia’s place in the world and commitment to each other: Tetangga,mitra, sahabat, abadi (Neighbours, partners and friends, forever).

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