US Alleged to Have Violated Indonesian Airspace 18 Times: Here's the Government's Response

The issue of Indonesia’s airspace sovereignty has come under sharp scrutiny following questions regarding alleged sovereignty violations by the United States (US) military fleet. Reports indicate that the US military fleet has been recorded 18 times violating territorial sovereignty without good faith intent to apologise to the Indonesian side.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang responded to the matter by stating that Indonesia’s airspace sovereignty is the government’s top priority. She emphasised the importance of placing national interests above all else in addressing sensitive issues related to border areas.

“Of course, what we need to continue emphasising is the importance of continuously placing our national interests first, and in this context, Indonesia’s airspace sovereignty is our priority,” said Yvonne on Thursday (16/4/2026).

On the other hand, the public has also questioned the status of the United States’ proposal regarding the granting of general or blanket overflight clearances. This proposal has become a serious concern because it directly relates to the mechanism for regulating the use of Indonesian airspace by foreign military fleets.

The ministry explained that the proposal from Washington is still in the internal consideration stage by the Indonesian Government. According to her statement, the proposal is still being carefully reviewed by the relevant ministries to ensure it aligns with the principles of sovereignty and applicable law.

“The mechanisms for its regulation and various details still need to be carefully reviewed, certainly placing our national interests and our airspace sovereignty first,” said Yvonne.

In the process, the Ministry of Defence is coordinating closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to examine every detail of the proposal from various security aspects. This is a normal part of the strategic decision-making process for the country to remain within the framework of an active and independent foreign policy.

To date, there has been no final decision or definite timeline on when the granting of such overflight clearances will be announced to the public. The government emphasised that any proposals still under consideration should not be regarded as fixed policies that have been agreed upon.

“We can reiterate that to date, there is no policy granting unrestricted access for any foreign party to use Indonesian airspace,” stated Yvonne.