From October 30 to November 7, the Chief of Staff of the Armada (AJEMA), Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez, will be on an official visit to Indonesia and Australia, two key countries in the Indo-Pacific region, with the aim of strengthening naval cooperation and promoting international maritime security.
This is the first time a Chief of Staff of the Armada visits Indonesia. During his stay in Jakarta, the AJEMA will meet with the Chief of the Indonesian Navy and the Spanish Ambassador and will also visit the Indonesian Navy Headquarters.
Subsequently, in Australia, he will meet with Australian naval authorities and counterparts from other Indo-Pacific countries attending the Sea Power Conference, whose theme this year is “Strength at Sea. Security and Prosperity at Home.” Spain will participate in this conference alongside with more than forty navies from around the world.
The program includes visits to industrial and technological facilities like Navantia Australia, BAE Systems, Kongsberg, and Lockheed Martin, where opportunities for collaboration in the field of innovation and autonomous maritime capabilities will be analyzed.
In this context, Spain’s presence in the region reflects a strategic interest shared by both Spain and its European partners, as outlined in the “2025-2028 Foreign Action Strategy”, the “Strategic Compass for the EU”, the “2024 National Maritime Security Strategy”, and the “Armada 2050” white paper. These documents recognize the importance of the Indo-Pacific as a priority area for Spain’s foreign policy and international cooperation. Indeed, the region’s stability is essential for the prosperity of Europe and Spain, and for the well-being of Spanish citizens, since a substantial percentage of products, industrial components, and energy we use, depend on the freedom and security of those sealines of communication.
With this visit, the Armada reaffirms its commitment to global maritime security, reinforcing Spain’s role as a dependable and technologically advanced partner in an increasingly interconnected world. Furthermore, the AJEMA’s presence there helps strengthen institutional and defense ties with two key partners in the region.