Three Indonesian Navy Warships Return to Indonesia After Port Visit in the Philippines

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Three Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) warships have returned to Indonesia after conducting a port visit in Cebu, Philippines. The arrival of the Republic of Indonesia Ships (KRI) coincides with the ongoing ASEAN Summit (KTT) in Cebu, Philippines, on 7-8 May 2026. “Three KRIs from the Philippines conducted a port visit, a goodwill port visit in Cebu, Philippines. Coincidentally, the ASEAN Summit was also held there,” said Navy Chief of Staff Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali at the Kolinlamil Dock, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on Monday (11/5/2026). A port visit is a warship’s visit to a friendly nation’s port to strengthen diplomatic relations and inter-naval cooperation. Such visits typically include various agendas, from military official meetings and cultural exchanges to friendly activities between ship crews. The activities involved land, sea, and air components to test joint operational readiness, ranging from troop mobility and VVIP security to responses to emergency situations in the region. “There were 5 F-16 aircraft, Hercules, and A400M for this readiness operation. (Then) 3 KRIs (types) Brawijaya, Siliwangi, and RE Martadinata,” revealed the Head of the Defence Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo, in his statement on Friday. According to Rico, all activities were conducted in a measured manner, prioritising principles of caution and respect for other nations’ sovereignty. “Indonesia views regional stability and security as a shared responsibility of ASEAN countries,” he said. “Therefore, the TNI’s readiness in this context is part of Indonesia’s contribution to supporting the creation of a safe, conducive regional situation that supports the success of ASEAN’s strategic agendas,” he added.