Jakarta
A multilateral naval exercise involving 39 countries, kicked off on Sunday in Indonesia’s island province of Bali.
The week-long Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2025, will continue through Saturday, featuring 34 foreign and 18 Indonesian Navy warships.
Themed “Maritime Partnership for Peace and Stability,” the exercise is the fifth edition of the biennial event and began with a fleet review, where participating nations showcased their naval capabilities, including warships, helicopters, and aircraft.
It also included performances from Indonesian navy personnel, and local performers, according to a livestream of the event by the Indonesian Navy.
In his opening remarks, Adm. Muhammad Ali, chief of staff of the Indonesian Navy, said that the exercise is aimed at bolstering maritime cooperation between the participating nations, besides focusing on humanitarian issues and disaster relief drills both on land and at sea.
Evolving maritime security challenges, he observed, demand a shared resolve and an increased collaboration by the participating navies.
This year’s drill includes various naval exercises alongside an officer exchange forum, bilateral meetings between naval forces, an international maritime security symposium, a defense exhibition, and cultural parades.
First launched in 2014, MNEK is a non-combat military exercise organized by the Indonesian Navy to foster maritime cooperation among friendly nations.
