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View all search resultsIndonesia made no commitment to US on airspace access: Sjafrie
The letter of intent signed in Washington mentioned respecting each country's territorial integrity, the need for a mechanism ifIndonesia agreed to airspace access, and respect for local laws, Sjafrie told a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense.
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Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (left) and his United States counterpart Pete Hegseth (right) listen as national anthems are played during an honor cordon welcoming ceremony for the former at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on April 13, 2026. (AFP/Jim Watson)
D
efence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Tuesday that he had signed a letter of intent last month with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on granting US military aircraft access to Indonesian airspace, but said no commitment was made.
The letter of intent signed in Washington mentioned respecting each country's territorial integrity, the need for a mechanism ifIndonesia agreed to airspace access, and respect for local laws, Sjafrie told a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense.
"We made not a single commitment with the US on airspace. We uphold the constitution and our national interests," Sjafrie said.
The issue of overflight access created controversy in Indonesia last month. The foreign ministry warned the defence ministry that the proposal to give the US military 'blanket' permission to fly over Indonesian territory could risk entangling Jakarta in potential South China Sea conflicts, Reuters has 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.
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 US would help train Indonesian soldiers.
On Monday, President Prabowo Subianto inspected defence equipment recently procured for the Indonesian Military, including four Dassault Falcon 8X jets and an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft, according to a presidential palace statement.
Jakarta signed an $8.1 billion deal in 2022 under then-defence minister Prabowo to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighters. Six of the jets have been delivered so far -- three in January and another three on Monday, defence ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait told AFP.
