Troops for 81st Indonesian Independence Day Ceremony Begin Drills at Palace

The ceremonial troops for the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, including prospective members of the National Flag-Raising Squad (Paskibraka), began training at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday. The session was inspected by Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Deputy Minister of State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro.

Prasetyo stated that the participants, comprising TNI soldiers, police officers, and top high school students selected as national Paskibraka candidates, are still in the initial adaptation phase after previously training separately. “Today, 11 August 2026, we have started preparations and drills, although they are still partial and separate. The teams have been training on their own, and today we begin joint exercises at the Palace,” he said.

He noted that corrections are still minimal at this stage, with more intensive improvements expected during the full dress rehearsals starting the following day. Prasetyo also promised that the upcoming commemoration ceremony would feature differences from previous years and include surprises prepared by the organising committee.

Based on previous years’ schedules, ceremonial troops typically undergo two full dress rehearsals followed by two final rehearsals at the Merdeka Palace courtyard. A joint training session involving 1,300 participants was previously held on 8 August at the PPSDM Kemendikdasmen field in Depok, West Java. The inauguration of the Paskibraka members is scheduled for 15 August 2026 at the Presidential Palace, though the date remains subject to change.