Indonesian Navy Clarifies Joint Drill with China's PLA is a Passing Exercise, Not War Fighting

The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) has provided an explanation regarding a joint exercise with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy of China in the waters near Taiwan. The exercise will take the form of a joint navigation drill in the waters east of Taiwan Island in mid-August 2026.

“During the sea passage of KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 from Vladivostok, Russia, back to the homeland, it will conduct passing exercises with the countries it passes through,” said Head of the Navy Information Service (Kadispenal), First Admiral Tunggul, in Jakarta on Wednesday (12/8/2026).

According to Tunggul, the passing exercise to be carried out between the TNI AL and the PLA Navy is not war-fighting in nature. Rather, the exercise is a universal naval tradition when transiting through a country’s waters.

“This passing exercise is also a goodwill engagement commonly conducted by navies worldwide as a form of naval brotherhood and maritime diplomacy inherent to warships,” Tunggul stated.

He stressed that Indonesia’s free and active foreign policy provides opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation with any country, including conducting passing exercises with a number of nations.