Indonesia Enhances Military Cooperation with US, US Jet Overflight Permissions Not Included in LoI

The Head of the Defence Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the Ministry of Defence’s Secretariat General, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, confirmed that the contents of the Letter of Intent (LoI) or statement of intent regarding overflight clearance requested by the United States are not included in the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) agreement. “That (the agreement on permission for American aircraft to fly) is not in the MDCP,” Rico said when confirmed by Antara in Jakarta on Tuesday (14/4/2026). The MDCP is a framework for defence cooperation that was recently signed by Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., USA, on Monday (13/4). According to Rico, the points of cooperation regarding permissions for American aircraft activities in Indonesian airspace are still being considered by the Indonesian Government. He explained that in the process of considering the proposal, the Indonesian Ministry of Defence will continue to prioritise Indonesia’s sovereignty, national interests, and compliance with applicable national and international law. Rico also emphasised that every cooperation decision built by the Ministry of Defence and the United States must benefit Indonesia.