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Ganjar seeks to raise defense budget to 1-2% of GDP
Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo said Indonesia's defense system must be able to anticipate a global conflict between the United States and China.
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Presidential candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo (left) and Mahfud MD walk on stage during the third 2024 presidential election debate at Istora Senayan in Jakarta on Jan. 7, 2024. The third debate covered issues of international relations, defense and security. (Antara/Aditya Pradana Putra)
Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo says it is necessary to increase the defense budget to 1 to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), as the current budget is not ideal as it only amounts to 0.78 percent of GDP.
“Allocating [a defense budget] of 1 to 2 percent of GDP, I believe, is a strong necessity,” Ganjar said during the third election debate at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday, as quoted by Antara News.
Ganjar said Indonesia's defense system must be able to anticipate a global conflict between the United States and China. He proposed that Indonesia’s defense system be upgraded to 5.0 with cutting-edge technology, namely hypersonic missiles, cyber weapons, quantum sensors and automatic weapons systems.
The former Central Java governor stressed that these significant steps are necessary to catch up with the government’s strategic plan on the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) needs for defense and weaponry systems, which he believes will fall short of the 2024 target. He added that aside from the modernization of defense capabilities, Indonesia’s annual economic growth must reach 7 percent.
According to Ganjar, in order to prevent a decline in Indonesia’s defense capabilities, the government needs to “invest” in and purchase weapons systems from state-owned enterprises.
“Tanks are made by PT Pindad, helicopters by PT [Dirgantara Indonesia], frigates by PT PAL and cyber [devices] by PT LEN. If we can optimize them, we can achieve the Minimum Essential Force that we have set,” said Ganjar.
Moreover, Ganjar also underlined the importance of foreign policy for Indonesia, saying it can be a negotiation tool by prioritizing national interests.
“[Foreign policy] is important because we have to choose and prioritize the nation and the people’s needs. They [the people] need job opportunities. We have to strengthen our diplomatic infrastructure,” he added.
During the debate, Ganjar also pointed to consistency in Indonesia’s foreign policy, citing Indonesia’s continuous support for Palestine.
