The Super Garuda Shield, an annual Indonesian-led military exercise, began on Monday and includes service members from the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The exercise will take place in Situbondo in East Java, Karawang in West Java, and Baturaja in South Sumatra and will go on until Sept. 6.

This annual drill between the U.S. and Indonesia began including partner nations in 2022. This year’s exercise will include thousands of troops. 

“Super Garuda Shield 2024 is a great example of how our Strategic Landpower Network showcases the unity and collective commitment to a safe, stable, and secure Indo-Pacific,” said Gen. Charles Flynn, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific. “What was long a small-scale army-to-army exercise is now a premier joint, multinational training event consistently involving contributions from over a dozen regional armies. I’m very proud of the gains we’re making together.”

This year’s iteration of the Super Garuda Shield will include a cyber exercise for the first time to better prepare these countries for combating cyberattacks. 

“Super Garuda Shield continues to grow and expand with participation from additional countries,” said U.S. Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir. “It shows the U.S.-Indonesia partnership’s effectiveness in enhancing regional stability and underscores our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.  We are proud that U.S. and Indonesian forces are training side by side and look forward to continued, increased security collaboration as we deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

Several other countries will observe the exercise, including Brazil, Brunei, Fiji, Germany, India, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Vanuatu.

The exercise is named after the Garuda, a mythical bird-like creature that is depicted in Indonesia’s coat of arms.

The exercise comes as the U.S. is attempting to further strengthen and solidify its alliances and partnerships in the Pacific region in the face of an increasingly aggressive and competitive Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army.

President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will be in Beijing this week for meetings with several high-ranking Chinese officials. This is the first time someone in Sullivan’s position has traveled to China since 2016.

“These meetings are consistent with efforts to maintain this strategic channel of communication to responsibly manage the relationship and are a product of the November 2023 Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement.