Defence Ministry Responds to Claims of US Aircraft Free Passage Documents in Indonesia

The Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) has responded to foreign media reports implying a final agreement on US military air access over Indonesian airspace. Head of Information at the Ministry of Defence’s Secretariat General, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the circulating document is an initial draft still in the internal and inter-agency discussion stage. “The document is not a final agreement, does not have binding legal force, and cannot serve as the basis for official Government of the Republic of Indonesia policy,” Rico said in a written statement on Monday (13/4). He explained that all defence cooperation discussions with other countries are conducted within the framework of prioritising national interests, fully safeguarding the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, and adhering to applicable national and international law. “In this regard, every concept, proposal, or draft cooperation mechanism must undergo a careful, stringent, and multi-layered discussion process before being considered further in accordance with applicable mechanisms and authorities, as well as the considerations of all relevant stakeholders,” he said. Rico reaffirmed that authority, control, and supervision over Indonesian airspace rest entirely with the Indonesian state. He clarified that any potential arrangements will still guarantee Indonesia’s full authority to approve or reject any activities in national airspace. The Indonesian Ministry of Defence also stressed that every planned activity must comply with each country’s national laws. “In the Indonesian context, this means all processes must follow statutory regulations, institutional mechanisms, and national political decisions. There is no room for unilateral implementation outside Indonesian law,” he said. He urged the public to respond to information carefully and proportionately. “Indonesia continues to uphold defence cooperation with all countries based on principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit, without sidelining national interests and state sovereignty,” he stated. The Sunday Guardian previously reported a secret US defence document to secure comprehensive air transit access for US military aircraft through Indonesian airspace. The document follows a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Donald Trump in Washington last February. According to details in the secret US document, Prabowo is said to have approved a proposal allowing blanket air transit permissions for US aircraft over Indonesian airspace during the bilateral meeting with Trump. The US Department of War sent a document titled “Operationalising US Air Transit” to the Indonesian Ministry of Defence on 26 February. The document proposes a formal understanding in which Indonesia would permit US military aircraft to transit its airspace for emergency operations, crisis response missions, and agreed joint military exercises. The document’s text states the purpose of the arrangement as “The Government of Indonesia permits blanket overflights of Indonesian airspace by US aircraft for emergency operations, crisis response purposes, and agreed joint training-related activities.” Furthermore, the text specifies that “US aircraft may transit directly upon notification until subsequent deactivation notification by the United States,” which effectively allows continuous access once the mechanism is activated.