T

he newly installed Commander of US Pacific Command (USPACOM), Admiral Robert Willard, visited Indonesia after four months in office. His visit undoubtedly marks the importance of Indonesia to Asia-Pacific security, according to USPACOM’s conception.

He also conveyed several of the most important directions of USPACOM under his command.

First, USPACOM would advance its alliances and its strategic partnership within which Indonesia is included.

Second, USPACOM would inevitably focus on the US-China relations.

Third, USPACOM would seek for solutions on the North Korean issue as well as observing any possible tensions between India and Pakistan.

Lastly, USPACOM would continue its strategy against transnational threats in the region.

Defense strategic partnership will be simply defined as a non-formal but consensual agreement between two states within the spheres of defense.

The concept is slightly different from the concept of defense or military alliance as an implementation of a collective security arrangement.

In compliance with the Constitution, Indonesia would never be engaged in an alliance with another state.

Russia has the most concrete proposal with US$1 billion assistance in 2007 to modernize Indonesia’s defense system. Indonesia and Russia have a long history of military cooperation.  

Russia assisted Indonesian Air Force during the 1960s with 6 unit bomber TU-16, more than 100 unit jet fighter (MiG-15/17 19/21), two dozen unit Ilyusin-28, and several helicopters including Mi-6 type, which made Indonesia one of the more stronger air powers of the region in that period of time.

However, Indonesia is still ambiguous in utilizing the offer because Russia’s unique defense instrument characteristic would entail many complicated maintenance issues in the future.

China is also trying to secure its military cooperation with Indonesia. In 2007, Indonesia and China signed a MoU represented by the ministers of defense in both countries.

The MoU stipulates cooperation in defense technology that might be expanded into defense weapons system procurement.

The MoU was then fortified when the councilor for defense of  the PRC visited Jakarta last January, hence currently there is some indication of military cooperation especially in missile C-802 and Indonesia has seriously conveyed the requirement of a transfer of technology in the framework of defense cooperation with China.

Compare to others, the definition of the US-Indonesia partnership seems to be the most ambiguous, which is possibly due to the readaptation period after the military ban was lifted in 2005.

There are some indications of strengthening the military to military cooperation within the framework of the US strategy toward transnational threats in the Asia-Pacific through the Kopassus.

However, aside from installing some useful radars in Indonesia’s territory, there have been few proposals to assist the Indonesian defense system modernization including modernizing air transport for humanitarian missions.

Despite the fact that Indonesia can benefit from cooperation in combating transnational threats, it is more likely to encounter an imbalance of cooperation with the US.

Simultaneously, Indonesia is surrounded with neighbors who are steadily increasing their defense procurement.

Jane’s Defence Weekly projected that until 2012, Southeast Asia will experience an average of 8 to 9 percent defense-spending growth annually.

According to the Military Balance 2010, commissioning the process of the 2 Malaysian Scorpene is due in 2010, while Singapore just increased its defense budget by approximately 7 percent in their 2008 to 2009 financial year.

The trend continues to mid-sized countries such as Vietnam, which just secured its procurement on 12 Sukhoi jet fighters from Russia.

Undoubtedly, Indonesia needs to be more assertive in the defense sphere.

The strategic environment is clearly vibrant and many still perceive Indonesia as a significant actor to maintain  balance in the region.

Hence, it is essential to define and convey Indonesia’s terms and conditions for any defense strategic partnership offer.

Concomitantly, the defense strategic partnership should be in line with the current national policy, such as defense industry revitalization.

Most importantly, the defense strategic partnership should serve the military in defending Indonesia.



The writer is a researcher at Department of Politics and International Relations, CSIS Jakarta.