The term "alliance" is a dirty word in Indonesia.

As one of the founding members of the "Non-Aligned Movement", Indonesia from its early days was clear that it did not want to be on either side of a polarised world.

In that vein, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto often utters a Chinese proverb: "One thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many."

The president even did so in Mandarin at a business forum in Beijing last year.

But much of that rhetoric was put to the test on Wednesday, when standing on board HMAS Canberra alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Prabowo announced that Indonesia and Australia had agreed to an upgraded security treaty.

While the full text is yet to be revealed and signed, it appears it would hold Australia and Indonesia to hold lead

See Full Page