Singapore and Indonesian armies conduct Safkar Indopura exercise.

The Singapore Army and the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) have successfully conducted the 31st edition of Exercise Safkar Indopura, which took place from 17 to 26 September 2019. Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Goh Si Hou and Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army General Andika Perkasa co-officiated the closing ceremony of the flagship bilateral exercise at Murai Urban Training Facility (MUTF) earlier this morning.

Soldiers from the Singapore and Indonesian armies taking part in an urban operations tactical drill. (Picture source: Singapore MoD)

This year's exercise involved 470 personnel, comprising troops from Headquarters 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade and 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment from the Singapore Army, as well as troops from the 16th Mechanised Infantry Brigade and the 512th, 516th and 521st Mechanised Infantry Battalions from the TNI-AD. Hosted in Singapore, the ten-day exercise provided opportunities for both armies to build stronger bonds and deepen mutual understanding through a series of professional exchanges, live-firing and urban operations tactical drills. The exercise culminated with a field training exercise at MUTF this morning, with SAF and TNI troops executing a combined battalion-level urban assault.

First conducted in 1989, Exercise Safkar Indopura underscores the close and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and Indonesia.