Defence Ministry: US Military Air Access Agreement Not Yet Final

The Ministry of Defence has responded to information regarding a supposed final agreement on United States military air access in Indonesian airspace. This news circulated after several foreign media outlets reported on permissions for mass flights by US military aircraft in the country.

Head of the Defence Information Bureau at the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the agreement is still in the internal discussion and inter-agency stage. According to him, the blanket overflight clearance document has not yet been finalised.

“It does not yet have binding legal force and cannot serve as the basis for official policy of the Republic of Indonesia Government,” Rico said in a written statement on Monday, 13 April 2026.

Rico explained that every concept and draft mechanism for cooperation must undergo a careful, multi-layered discussion process. This process, he said, is conducted before any planned cooperation agreement with other countries is further considered in accordance with applicable mechanisms and authorities.

“In the Indonesian context, this means the entire process must follow statutory regulations, institutional mechanisms, and national political decisions,” stated the two-star general.

Furthermore, Rico said that all discussions on planned defence cooperation with other countries are always oriented towards national interests. This includes, he said, safeguarding the sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia and fully adhering to applicable national and international legal provisions.

“We affirm that authority, control, and supervision over Indonesian airspace are entirely under the sovereignty of the Indonesian state,” he said.

Rico added that Indonesia retains full authority in granting airspace access to foreign military aircraft in future regulations. Every access, he said, will still be based on approval or rejection of activities in national airspace.

“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,” Rico said.