Cybersecurity Partnership Targets National Defense Skills

Universitas Pertahanan Republik Indonesia (UNHAN RI) and Thales have signed an Implementing Arrangement to establish a structured collaboration focused on building cybersecurity expertise in Indonesia. The agreement was signed in Jakarta on 24 February 2026 by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dr. Anton Nugroho, Rector of UNHAN RI, and Nicolas Bouverot, Vice-President for Asia at Thales.

The partnership responds to escalating cyber threat levels across Indonesia. Between January and July 2025, the State Cyber and Cryptography Agency (BSSN) recorded 3.64 billion cyberattacks or traffic anomalies nationwide. Such volumes highlight the potential risk to critical infrastructure, government systems and defense networks.

Strengthening Cyber Defense Education
Operated by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, UNHAN RI provides education and training to military and civilian officials in national defense, security and military science. In response to increasing cyber threats targeting public and private institutions, the university has expanded graduate and postgraduate programs in cyber defense.

The collaboration with Thales is designed to reinforce these programs with industry expertise and practical training components. The first training cohort will be jointly selected by UNHAN RI and Thales, with the program expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026.

The initiative aims to enhance technical competencies in areas such as threat detection, incident response, cryptography and protection of critical systems. Developing local expertise supports greater national resilience against high-volume and potentially state-sponsored cyber activity.

Industry Expertise and Local Capability Development
Thales employs more than 6,000 cybersecurity experts and developers worldwide and maintains a dedicated team in Indonesia. The company provides cybersecurity solutions for critical infrastructure, transportation, defense and governmental sectors.

With more than 45 years of presence in Indonesia, Thales positions the collaboration as part of its long-term engagement in strengthening national digital resilience. By combining academic training with applied industry knowledge, the partnership seeks to enhance human capital development and build sustainable cybersecurity capabilities within Indonesia’s defense and public sectors.

The agreement reflects a broader recognition that cybersecurity capacity building is a foundational element of national security strategy, particularly in rapidly digitizing economies facing high volumes of network-based threats.