WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a “major” defence partnership with Indonesia following a meeting with the Southeast Asian nation’s defence minister at the Pentagon.
However, a proposal to allow US military overflight in Indonesian airspace is not part of the partnership, a spokesman for the Indonesian defence ministry told CNA.
“We are elevating our relationship to a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP), in recognition of the strength and potential of our bilateral defence ties,” Hegseth said in a statement on X on Monday (Apr 13).
The partnership covers “military modernisation and capacity building”, “training and professional military education” and “exercises and operational cooperation”, according to a joint statement.
“Both nations reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said.
Under the MDCP framework, the US and Indonesia will explore “mutually agreed cutting-edge initiatives, including co-developing sophisticated asymmetric capabilities pioneering next-generation defence technologies in the maritime, subsurface, and autonomous systems domains, and cooperating on maintenance, repair, and overhaul support to improve operational readiness,” both sides added.
“As a symbol of this elevated partnership, and reflective of the deep trust between their nations, both leaders have also committed to enhance joint special forces training.
“These engagements will advance mutual security interests and forge even stronger, more resilient bonds between American and Indonesian service members through expanded opportunities in premier professional military education and the establishment of defence alumni ties,” the joint statement read.
Jakarta said the partnership was an “opportunity to reinforce national defence capacity”, but insisted that “free and active foreign policy, national interests, and full respect for state sovereignty” would be maintained.
It said that a US proposal to grant American military aircraft access over Indonesian airspace was being “carefully reviewed”.
“It still requires further discussion through technical mechanisms and applicable national procedures,” the Indonesian Ministry of Defence statement added.
In response to CNA’s queries, Rico Ricardo Sirait – the spokesperson for the Indonesian defence ministry – said over a text message that overflight clearance by the US in Indonesian airspace is not included in the MDCP.
“Based on the officially published MDCP document available on the Pentagon’s website, overflight clearance is not part of the partnership,” Rico told CNA.
