DPR Plenary Session Approves Japan's Patrol Boat Grant Worth 1.9 Billion Yen

A plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR) has approved the acceptance of patrol boat grants from the Japanese government. The patrol boats, valued at 1.9 billion yen, will be operated by the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL).

The plenary session was held at Nusantara II Building in the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday (19 February 2026). The session was chaired by DPR Speaker Puan Maharani.

Deputy Chairman of Commission I Dave Laksono initially reported that his commission had conducted deliberations on the acceptance of the donated vessels. The Commission I meeting was held jointly with representatives from the Ministry of Defence, the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), and the Ministry of Finance.

Puan then sought the approval of the assembled members regarding the patrol boat grant from Japan. The members unanimously gave their consent.

“We now ask the honourable members of this session whether the report of Commission I of the DPR on the approval of the acceptance of 18M-class patrol boats from the Japanese government can be approved,” Puan said.

“Approved,” she confirmed.

Furthermore, Puan noted that she had received a letter from the Minister of Defence regarding the cancellation of a previously approved grant of defence equipment from South Korea, which had been agreed upon in an earlier plenary session.

“To that end, we seek the approval of the factions regarding the cancellation of the acceptance of defence equipment grants from South Korea — can this be approved?” Puan asked, to which the session participants responded with their agreement.

Commission I had previously approved Indonesia’s acceptance of the 1.9 billion yen grant from Japan for patrol boats under Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme for fiscal year 2025. The funds are equivalent to approximately four patrol boats.

Deputy Minister of Defence Donny Ermawan stated that Indonesia had received a grant under the same programme in 2024. Donny said the current grant value could procure up to four patrol boat units.

“The value is approximately 1.9 billion Japanese yen. In terms of vessels, that translates to roughly three or four boats. These are patrol boats measuring 14 metres in length and 5 metres in beam, capable of speeds up to 40 knots — quite fast,” Donny said following a closed meeting at Commission I in the parliamentary complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday (10 February).