Indonesia mulls US overflights

Indonesia and the United States are discussing a proposal that could let American military aircraft fly through Indonesian airspace, and Jakarta says no deal has been reached. (reuters.com) Indonesia’s defense ministry said on April 13 that the talks are still at an early stage. Reuters reported U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was scheduled to meet Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin the same day. (reuters.com) Channel NewsAsia and other outlets said the U.S. is seeking “blanket” overflight access for emergency operations, crisis response missions and jointly approved military exercises. Indonesian officials said reports describing unrestricted access went too far. (channelnewsasia.com) An overflight deal would give U.S. aircraft a shorter route across one of the world’s busiest archipelagic corridors. Indonesia sits between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific and straddles sea and air lanes near the South China Sea. (congress.gov) Jakarta has spent decades presenting itself as strategically non-aligned, even as it expands military ties with Washington. Indonesia’s defense ministry said any cooperation must protect sovereignty and follow national and international law. (en.antaranews.com) The two countries have already been building a deeper defense relationship. In November 2023, the United States and Indonesia signed a Defense Cooperation Arrangement after Presidents Joe Biden and Joko Widodo elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. (id.usembassy.gov) The U.S. State Department said Indonesia has also concluded security agreements with Washington, including a General Security of Military Information Agreement and a Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement. Those pacts are meant to make joint operations and information-sharing easier. (state.gov) Military ties have widened in the field as well. A 2023 joint statement said the two countries hold more than 220 defense engagements a year, and Exercise Super Garuda Shield has grown into one of the region’s largest multilateral drills. (defense.gov; id.usembassy.gov) Indonesian lawmakers are already signaling scrutiny. Tempo reported on April 13 that members of the House of Representatives were monitoring the proposal and said any airspace arrangement would need to be examined against Indonesia’s sovereignty and foreign-policy principles. (tempo.co) For now, Jakarta’s position is narrower than the headlines that triggered the uproar: the proposal is under discussion, the document is not final, and Indonesia says it has not granted the U.S. open-ended military access to its skies. (en.antaranews.com; tempo.co)