DPR Says Not Involved in Indonesia-US Defense Deal Talks
Reporter
April 16, 2026 | 08:04 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Tubagus Hasanuddin, stated that his commission has not been involved in discussions regarding the defense cooperation agreement between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense.
He mentioned that the DPR has not received any information about the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) agreed upon by both countries on April 13, 2026, including the ongoing discussions about the United States military overflight clearance in Indonesian airspace. "We have not received any explanations from the government," he said when contacted on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
He explained that any political decision regarding the state's peace, defense, and security taken by the Ministry of Defense must go through a ratification process or the approval of the DPR.
Additionally, decisions related to the state's sovereignty or sovereign rights, human rights and the environment, the establishment of new legal norms, and foreign loans or grants must also receive DPR approval.
In the context of the planned blanket overflight clearance agreement or airspace access for the US, he stated that the Ministry of Defense is fully obliged to consult with the DPR, especially Commission I, which oversees defense, foreign affairs, intelligence, and communication. "This kind of agreement must go through the ratification process in the DPR because it concerns strategic aspects of the state's sovereignty," he said.
Furthermore, Hasanuddin also questioned the contents of the defense cooperation partnership (MDCP) that were signed by Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and the US Secretary of Defense, Pete, during their meeting at the Pentagon, United States, last Monday. He reminded that any decision regarding the state's defense must be approved by the DPR. "We are waiting for the developments and explanations from the MoD," he said.
Previously, Indonesia and the United States officially signed the MDCP cooperation. This agreement focuses on three main pillars as the foundation for strengthening the defense relationship between the two countries: (1) military modernization and capacity building; (2) professional military training and education; and (3) exercises and operational cooperation," as stated in the official cooperation document on the U.S. Department of Defense website, cited on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Meanwhile, the MoD is currently discussing blanket overflight access in Indonesian airspace. The Head of Information Bureau of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the proposal regarding overflight clearance in Indonesian airspace for the US military is still being discussed internally within the government.
In the discussions, Rico ensured that Indonesia has made several important adjustments. "We also affirm that the document is not binding or non-binding and does not automatically apply, and it still requires further discussion through applicable national technical mechanisms and procedures," Rico said in a press release on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
As reported by The Sunday Guardian on Sunday, April 12, 2026, discussions regarding overflight clearance in Indonesian airspace are said to be a follow-up to the high-level meeting between the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, and the US President, Donald Trump, which took place in Washington last February. The meeting is also considered a significant shift in the operational scope of the US military in the Indo-Pacific region.
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