Laying a foundation of trust and partnership in the Indo-Pacific

September 26, 2025 – Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 1:45

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The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan signed a Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI), the Indonesian National Armed Forces on August 25, 2025. This MoU marks a significant step forward for Canada’s bilateral defence partnership with Indonesia and demonstrates Canada’s long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.
Photo by: S1 Erin Roberts, Ex SGS Imagery Technician

Approximately 30 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members made significant contributions during Exercise SUPER GARUDA SHIELD 2025 (Ex SGS25), conducted under Operation HORIZON in the Indo-Pacific region from August 24 to September 4. This year marked the largest Canadian contingent to date, participating alongside 6,500 troops from 12 other nations in a wide range of training activities including humanitarian relief, joint land strikes, amphibious landings, and airborne operations.

Hosted by Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) and co-hosted by United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Ex SGS25 highlights growing multinational cooperation and interoperability. During the exercise, a Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding was signed between TNI and General Jennie Carignan, Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff. This agreement marks a significant milestone in the bilateral defence relationship between Canada and Indonesia, paving the way for enhanced military collaboration in the future.

Colonel Stew Taylor, Canadian Defence Attaché to Indonesia, emphasized the importance of shared learning: “Countries that work together with a shared purpose learn more together. This builds people-to-people ties, transparency, mutual respect, and trust—key ingredients for military cooperation.”

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CAF engineers lay paving stones during the construction project of an elementary school during Exercise SUPER GARUDA SHIELD in Baturaja, Indonesia on 29 August, 2025. The construction project is part of an annual exercise between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the CAF designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, humanitarian aid, and cooperation.
Photo by: S1 Erin Roberts, Ex SGS Imagery Technician

Canada’s contribution included a diverse group of subject matter experts, primarily engineers from across CAF elements. These specialists played a vital role in both construction and enhancing the exercise’s operational depth. CAF personnel were involved in key components such as the Staff Exercise (StaffEx), Medical Program, and the Engineer Civic Action Program (ENCAP)—each offering opportunities to collaborate, share best practices, and strengthen interoperability.

ENCAP stood out as a meaningful community outreach initiative. CAF engineers helped build a school and a gravel road, leaving a lasting impact on local infrastructure. Captain Aaron Birosh, Detachment Commander, reflected: “It’s humbling to make real changes in a community so welcoming. We’re proud to leave something they can use for years to come.”

Ex SGS25 is the fourth iteration of the expanded SUPER GARUDA SHIELD series, which evolved from the original Exercise GARUDA SHIELD held annually from 2007 to 2021. What began as a bilateral initiative has grown into a robust multinational platform involving 13 troop-contributing and observer nations. This evolution underscores a shared commitment to regional security and Op HORIZON’s strategic importance of the Government of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and to ensure a free, open, and safe Indo-Pacific.

Want to see more of the action? Check out the full photo gallery from Ex SGS25 on Flickr.