Jakarta. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Thursday that the government was committed to boosting the portion of defense spending up to 1.5 percent of Indonesia’s state budget, almost double the current level.

Ryamizard said the Rp 83 trillion ($6.8 billion) allotted this year, although an increase from figures appropriated in previous years, represented only 0.8 percent of the total state budget.

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Indonesia is set to modernize its primary defense systems (alutsista) in order to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.

In a limited meeting held at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Monday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said Indonesia’s current defense budget amounted to 1.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), slightly up from previous allocations of 0.89 percent of GDP in 2015 and 0.79 percent in 2014.

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Jakarta. Indonesia's House of Representatives ratified two draft bills on bilateral defense cooperation with China and Germany during a plenary meeting on Tuesday (01/03).

As reported by Antara news agency, some 322 lawmakers agreed to ratify the bills, aiming to maintain positive defense ties with the two countries.

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