Parliament Urges Defence Ministry to Be Transparent on US Airspace Access Agreement
Member of Commission I of the House of Representatives Tubagus Hasanuddin has urged the Ministry of Defence to be transparent in the process of discussing the blanket overflight clearance agreement, or the opening of airspace access for the United States.
The legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said that to date, the House of Representatives has not received an official explanation from the government regarding the discussion of that cooperation. However, he said, that cooperation is included in policies that must first obtain approval from the House of Representatives.
“Agreements of this kind must go through a ratification process in the House of Representatives because they concern strategic aspects of national sovereignty,” he told Tempo on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.
He explained that, in principle, provisions regarding permission for foreign aircraft, both civilian and military, to enter Indonesian airspace have been regulated in Law No. 21 of 2025 on Airspace Management. In Articles 40 and 41 of that law, the granting of permission is possible as long as it complies with applicable aviation provisions and international cooperation.
Nevertheless, Tubagus emphasised that the regulation does not mean the government can arbitrarily grant permission to the US military to freely traverse Indonesian airspace. The government, he said, needs to explain the policy basis openly, including the types of aircraft permitted to traverse and the airspace boundaries that remain under the supervision of the Indonesian Air Force.
“Is it only logistics aircraft or does it also include armed military aircraft such as fighter jets?” said Tubagus. “Why is it given to the US? What is the policy basis? This is important because airspace is part of national sovereignty.”
He then reminded that Indonesia has consistently maintained its position as a free and active country and plays a role in maintaining stability in Southeast Asia. “Indonesia must not become an arena for competition among great powers,” he stated.
Previously, The Sunday Guardian on 12 April 2026 reported that the US Department of Defence sent a document titled “Operating US Cross-Border Flights” to the Indonesian Ministry of Defence on 26 February 2026. It contained a proposed framework allowing US military aircraft to use Indonesian airspace for various purposes, from emergency operations to joint military exercises.
Head of the Defence Information Bureau of the Ministry of Defence Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait confirmed that the US had sent a Letter of Intent for Overflight Clearance, or a proposal to be able to traverse Indonesian airspace. He said the government is still carefully reviewing the content of the offered cooperation.
“That is a proposal from the US side which subsequently becomes material for internal consideration by the Indonesian government,” said Rico in a press statement on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.
In its discussion, Rico assured that Indonesia has made several important adjustments. “The document is also non-binding in nature and not automatically applicable, and still requires further discussion through applicable technical mechanisms and national procedures.”