Defense Industry Cooperation as an Instrument of Indonesia–Türkiye Defense Diplomacy: A Case Study of the Harimau Medium Tank Joint Development Program

Crossmark

Article Sidebar

Page Numbers: 4617-4636
Download PDF
Published: Jul 30, 2026
Digital Object Identifier: 10.58578/mikailalsys.v4i3.11547
Save this to:
Save to Mendeley Download RIS

Article Metrics:
Viewed: 0 times
Downloaded: 0 times
Article can trace at:

Author Fee:
Free Publication Fees for Foreign Researchers (USD 0.00)
Check for article on SINTA:

LYAS Publisher cordially invites qualified professionals to serve as Editors or Reviewers. Your expertise will make an important contribution to maintaining and strengthening the academic quality of our publications. Interested applicants are kindly requested to complete the application form at the following link: Editors & Reviewers

Connected Papers:
Connected Papers


Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the submission process or if you have any additional questions.


Authors:
Yunizir Iqbal1*, Pujo Widodo2, Hendra Manurung3
Copyright :

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.

Explore Our Journals
Find the journal that best fits your research. If this journal does not match your manuscript’s scope, explore our portfolio below to select a more suitable publication venue.

Main Article Content

Yunizir Iqbal
Defense University, Indonesia
Pujo Widodo
Defense University, Indonesia
Hendra Manurung
Defense University, Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia’s dependence on foreign defense suppliers has prompted efforts to strengthen domestic defense industrial capabilities through defense diplomacy and international industrial cooperation. This study aimed to analyze how Indonesia–Türkiye defense industrial cooperation contributes to Indonesia’s defense industrial autonomy from a Neo-Realist perspective. Employing a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, document analysis, and examination of relevant policy documents. The findings indicate that Indonesia–Türkiye cooperation extends beyond conventional defense procurement by incorporating technology transfer, joint development, and institutional coordination through the Defense Cooperation Agreement and the Defense Industry Cooperation Meeting. The Harimau Medium Tank program demonstrates that bilateral cooperation has strengthened Indonesia’s defense manufacturing and systems-integration capabilities while reducing strategic dependence on external suppliers. Nevertheless, defense industrial autonomy remains a gradual process because limitations in critical technologies, supporting industrial ecosystems, and human resource capacity continue to constrain domestic capability development. From a Neo-Realist perspective, this cooperation represents an internal balancing strategy through which Indonesia enhances its national defense capabilities while maintaining diversified international partnerships. The study concludes that collaborative defense industrial development can support the long-term pursuit of strategic autonomy, although its effectiveness depends on sustained technology absorption, institutional capacity, and industrial ecosystem development. This study contributes to defense and international relations scholarship by integrating defense diplomacy, defense industrial cooperation, and internal balancing within a unified analytical framework and by providing empirical evidence of how middle powers can pursue strategic autonomy through collaborative capability development.

Keywords:
Share Article:

Citation Metrics:

Scopus

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citation Metrics & Similar Scopus Articles

Citation data unavailable from the configured source
Check Secondary Documents in Scopus
Open this article in Scopus, then check the Secondary documents tab. Use Manual Citation Fallback only for counts you have verified manually.
Open in Scopus
Similar Scopus Articles
Scopus
  1. Achilova S.S. (2027)
    Activation of the mineralized mass of Central Kyzylkum using acidic wastewater from the oil and fat industry: Freundlich-based adsorption kinetics for fluorine release
    Kompleksnoe Ispolzovanie Mineralnogo Syra, 342(3), 65-79
  2. Al Atok A.R. (2027)
    Presidential Involvement in Legislative Processes in Indonesia: Constitutional Distinctiveness or Structural Anomaly Within a Presidential System?
    Cuestiones Constitucionales, 28(56)
  3. Khabiyev A.T. (2027)
    Use of Industrial By-products from Metallurgical Production for the Development of Heat-Resistant Building Mixes and their Molding in an Improved Device
    Kompleksnoe Ispolzovanie Mineralnogo Syra, 341(2), 16-26

Article Details

How to Cite
Iqbal, Y., Widodo, P., & Manurung, H. (2026). Defense Industry Cooperation as an Instrument of Indonesia–Türkiye Defense Diplomacy: A Case Study of the Harimau Medium Tank Joint Development Program. Journal of Multidisciplinary Science: MIKAILALSYS, 4(3), 4617-4636. https://doi.org/10.58578/mikailalsys.v4i3.11547

Creative Commons License
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

References

Ariputro, A. B., Syahtaria, M. I., Trismadi, Suwarno, P., Widodo, P., & Purwanto, D. A. (2024). Collaboration and technology transfer in the defense industry as drivers of innovation and global security enhancement. Physical Sciences, Life Science and Engineering, 1(3), 12. https://doi.org/10.47134/pslse.v1i3.247

Athirah, N. (2025). From diplomacy to industry: Evaluating the long-term impacts of Indonesia–Türkiye defense cooperation on regional stability. Journal of Migration and Political Studies, 3(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.69510/mipos.1637396

Bojang, A. S. (2018). The study of foreign policy in international relations. Journal of Political Sciences & Public Affairs, 6(4), 337. https://doi.org/10.4172/2332-0761.1000337

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Darmawan, W., Sumadinata, R. W. S., Akim, & Darmawan, W. B. (2025). Political dynamics of Indonesia–Australia defence cooperation: Navigating geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Research Journal in Advanced Humanities, 6(3), 1–40. https://royalliteglobal.com/advanced-humanities/article/view/2069

Diphda, B. C., & Wiswayana, W. M. (2026). Defence diplomacy and the deepening of Indonesia–Türkiye defence cooperation: Evidence from the KAAN fighter jet procurement. Jurnal Ilmiah Teunuleh: International Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1), 71–93. https://doi.org/10.51612/teunuleh.v7i1.244

Elisabeth, S. Y., Sumarlan, S., Prasetyo, T. B., & Hutauruk, J. (2021). Indonesia’s defense diplomacy in joint production of Harimau medium tank between Indonesia–Turkey. Jurnal Pertahanan, 7(2), 243–253. https://doi.org/10.33172/jp.v7i2.1241

Fitriah, A. I., Sari, S., & Djemat, Y. O. (2025). Kerja Sama Indonesia dan Turki dalam Pengembangan Modern Medium Weight Tank Harimau Tahun 2014–2024. Global Insight Journal: Jurnal Mahasiswa Hubungan Internasional, 1(3). https://ejournal.fisip.unjani.ac.id/index.php/GIJ/article/view/3286

Government of Indonesia. (2012). Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 16 of 2012 concerning the defense industry. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/39088/uu-no-16-tahun-2012

Haura, S., D. C., A. M., Sumala, J., Yulianti, S. I., & Aji, M. P. (2025). Bureaucratic analysis of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence: Advancing national defense diplomacy through the 2024 Indonesia–Australia Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA). Mandala: Jurnal Ilmu Hubungan Internasional, 8(1), 89–105. https://ejournal.upnvj.ac.id/JM/article/view/10844

Luerdi, L., & Marisa, H. (2019). Civil participation in military innovation: Cooperation between the defense industry of Indonesia and Turkey 2010–2018. Jurnal Global & Strategis, 13(2), 17–33. https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JGS/article/view/12863

Nugraha, D. A., Inkiriwang, F. W., & Perwita, A. A. B. (2024). Strengthening defense industries in developing countries through defense diplomacy: A comparative study of Indonesia and the Philippines. Jurnal Syntax Imperatif: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Pendidikan, 5(4), 585–590. https://jurnal.syntaximperatif.co.id/index.php/syntax-imperatif/article/view/444

Rahmadhani, P., Perwita, A. A. B., & Ramsi, O. (2025). Building regional readiness: Indonesia’s leadership in enhancing AHA Centre’s disaster response capabilities. International Journal of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences, 3(3), 907–928. https://doi.org/10.58578/ijhess.v3i3.6951

Riyadi, F. A., & Dewi, I. M. (2022). The role of defense diplomacy for the development of the Indonesian defense industry. Jurnal Ekonomi, Bisnis & Entrepreneurship, 16(1), 80–91. https://doi.org/10.55208/jebe.v16i1.249

Shiddiqy, M. A. A., Latif, S. A., Andriyus, & Kurniawansyah, D. (2024). Interdependensi Alutsista Pertahanan Indonesia: Studi pada Joint Production Medium Tank antara PT Pindad dan FNSS Turki. Journal of Economic, Business and Accounting (COSTING), 7(2), 3691–3704. https://doi.org/10.31539/costing.v7i2.8247

Suminar, S. H., Perwita, A. A. B., & Ramsi, O. (2025). Hedging through defense diplomacy: Indonesia’s non-alignment in the age of emerging technologies. Asian Journal of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Art, 3(4), 1340–1355. https://doi.org/10.58578/ajstea.v3i4.7112

Sutikno, S., Taufik, R. M., & Alam, T. M. (2025). Implementasi Kerjasama melalui Program Transfer of Technology dalam Pembuatan Tank Harimau guna Memperkuat Pertahanan Negara: Studi Kasus Kerjasama PT Pindad dengan FNSS Turki. Jurnal Ilmiah Muqoddimah: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial, Politik, dan Humaniora, 9(3), 1276–1283. https://doi.org/10.31604/jim.v9i3.2025.1276-1283

Triantama, F. (2020). Kerjasama Pengembangan Medium Battle Tank Harimau sebagai Perwujudan Ketahanan Alutsista Tentara Nasional Indonesia. Jurnal Ketahanan Nasional, 26(2), 273–292. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkn.56116

Urquhart, B. (1989). Problems and prospects of the United Nations. International Journal, 44(4), 803–822. https://doi.org/10.1177/002070208904400404

Waltz, K. N. (1979). Theory of international politics. McGraw-Hill.

Wulandari, A., Perwita, A. A. B., & Hadisancoko, R. E. (2024). The role of defense diplomacy to enhance defense industry in developing countries: Case study of Indonesia and India cooperation. Jurnal Syntax Imperatif: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Pendidikan, 5(4), 606–613. https://jurnal.syntaximperatif.co.id/index.php/syntax-imperatif/article/view/453

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.