New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- Indonesian and Australian leaders said Wednesday they were close to signing a new bilateral defense treaty.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the pact during the Indonesian leader's first state visit to Australia.

Albanese said he hoped to sign the completed treaty during a visit to Indonesia in January.

"The governments of Australia and Indonesia have just substantively concluded negotiations on a new bilateral treaty on our common security," Albanese told reporters in a statement with Prabowo in Sydney.

"This treaty will commit Australia and Indonesia to consult at a leader and ministerial level on a regular basis on matters of security, to identify a...