Former Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono Passes Away

Defence Minister from 2004 to 2009, Juwono Sudarsono, has reportedly passed away at RSPI Pondok Indah in South Jakarta on Saturday (28/3/2026) at 13:45 WIB. This figure, known as the architect of modern Indonesian defence, breathed his last at the age of 84. ‘Innalillahi wa innailaihi rojiun. Prof. Dr. Juwono Sudarsono, Defence Minister in the United Indonesia Cabinet, has passed away on Saturday, 28 March 2026, at 13:45 at RSPI Pondok Indah, Jakarta,’ states the official statement received on Saturday afternoon. Born in Jakarta on 5 March 1942, Juwono Sudarsono was an intellectual who successfully bridged the worlds of theory and governmental practice. A graduate of the University of Indonesia and the University of California, Berkeley, he had a long track record in diplomacy and international security. His governmental career was particularly prominent when he was entrusted as Defence Minister during two different presidential terms, namely under President Abdurrahman Wahid (1999–2000) and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2004–2009). As the first civilian Defence Minister in the reformasi era, Juwono was widely recognised for his contributions to strengthening civilian supremacy over the military. He was a key actor in reorganising the relationship between the military and civil society to realise a more professional and democratic TNI. In addition to serving as Defence Minister, Juwono also held positions as Minister of State for the Environment (1998) and Ambassador of Indonesia to the United Kingdom (2003–2004). In the field of education, he remained active as a professor whose thoughts became a primary reference in International Relations studies in Indonesia. The passing of Juwono Sudarsono leaves a deep legacy of thought for Indonesia’s national defence system and diplomacy on the world stage.