Foreign Ministry Addresses US Request for Access to Indonesian Airspace: Not Yet in Effect, Still Under Review

Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has affirmed that the official overflight clearance requested by the United States, allowing its aircraft to transit through Indonesian airspace, is not yet in effect as it remains under intensive review.

“There is no policy granting free access to foreign parties to use Indonesian airspace,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Yvonne confirmed that the overflight clearance is a proposal from the US side, but it is still under internal consideration by the Indonesian Government.

“The regulatory mechanism must be carefully examined, placing national interests, Indonesian airspace sovereignty, and the principles of free and active foreign policy as the primary basis,” she added.

Yvonne stressed that any form of cooperation arrangement, including with the US, will continue to be within the framework of full Indonesian sovereignty and will adhere to applicable national mechanisms and procedures.

Defence cooperation between Indonesia and the US focuses on strengthening a broader cooperation framework.

“The overflight arrangement is not a main pillar in that cooperation,” said Yvonne.

Previously, the Head of the Defence Information Bureau of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan), Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, assured that the Main Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) agreement between Indonesia and the US does not include provisions on overflight clearance.

According to Rico, the points of cooperation regarding permissions for US aircraft activities in Indonesian airspace are still being considered by the Indonesian Government.

The Government remains consistent in its position that every cooperation decision built with all partners, including the US, must benefit Indonesia.

The MDCP was recently signed by Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., United States, on Monday, 13 April 2026.

Rico stated that the content of the agreed military collaboration agreement between Indonesia and the US includes cooperation in developing defence technology capacity, enhancing operational readiness, professional military education, and strengthening interpersonal defence relations between the two countries.