Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Tuesday that he signed a letter of intent last month with Pete Hegseth regarding potential access for U.S. military aircraft to Indonesian airspace, though he stressed that no formal commitment had been made.
Speaking during a parliamentary hearing, Sjamsoeddin said the agreement signed in Washington only outlined principles for possible future cooperation and did not amount to an official airspace arrangement. He stressed that Indonesia would continue to prioritise its constitution and national interests.
“We made not a single commitment with the U.S. on airspace. We uphold the constitution and our national interests,” Sjafrie said.
According to the minister, the document emphasised mutual respect for territorial sovereignty, compliance with Indonesian laws, and the need for a formal mechanism should Jakarta ever approve overflight access for U.S. military aircraft.
Overflight Proposal Sparks Controversy
The issue of overflight access created controversy in Indonesia last month. The foreign ministry warned the defence ministry that the proposal to give the U.S. military ‘blanket’ permission to fly over Indonesian territory could risk entangling Jakarta in potential South China Sea conflicts, Reuters reported.
Sjafrie said Hegseth had made the request for the overflight access last year during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting. Hegseth had cited emergency reasons when he asked for the access, Sjafrie said without providing further details.
Expanding U.S.-Indonesia Defence Ties
A request for comment was sent to the Pentagon. There was no immediate reply, and when the request was sent from Jakarta it was early morning Washington time and outside business hours.
After Hegseth and Sjafrie met in Washington last month, the Pentagon said the two countries had established a major defence cooperation partnership and listed a number of ways in which they would build defence ties.
Sjafrie said the partnership includes the modernisation of Indonesia’s military, but “it does not mention any military equipment”. He said the U.S. would help train Indonesian soldiers.
(With inputs from Reuters)
