On 25 August, Indonesia and the United States launched their largest-ever “Super Garuda Shield” military exercise, held annually since 2009. This year’s drills are the largest to date. Over 4,000 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops are participating, alongside forces from 11 other nations, including Australia, Japan, France, and the UK. The exercises run in Jakarta, Sumatra, and the Riau archipelago until 404 September and include staff exercises, cyber defence, and live-fire training, with observers from India. The drills aim to boost interoperability and deterrence amid concerns over China’s assertiveness, though Washington says they are not aimed at Beijing.