The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has reached a historic milestone with the conclusion of negotiations on the ASEAN Defence Industry Cooperation Agreement (DEFA). The statement, released by the Chairperson of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials (SEOM), marks the culmination of years of efforts to strengthen regional defence manufacturing capabilities and enhance self-reliance. During the 38th ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting held in Jakarta, SEOM welcomed the conclusion of DEFA negotiations, which will significantly deepen economic cooperation among ASEAN Member States. The agreement is expected to boost local defence manufacturing, foster technology transfer, and create sustainable jobs within the regional defence sector. Speaking at the closing press conference, the SEOM Chairperson emphasized that DEFA will not only enhance ASEAN defense industry competitiveness but also contribute to the region strategic autonomy. The agreement establishes a framework for collaborative research and development, shared production facilities, and harmonized regulatory standards across the ten ASEAN member states. Experts view the DEFA agreement as a transformative development for Southeast Asian defence industries. By pooling resources and expertise, ASEAN nations can reduce their dependence on external suppliers while fostering innovation and capacity building within the region. The agreement is expected to benefit both government procurement programs and private defence contractors. The implementation of DEFA will proceed in phases, with initial focus on areas of existing complementarity among member states. ASEAN defence ministers are scheduled to review the agreement at their next ministerial meeting, where ratification procedures will be finalized. This achievement represents a significant step forward in regional defence cooperation and demonstrates ASEAN commitment to maintaining stability and security through enhanced self-reliance and mutual cooperation.
Sources: asean.org
