April 14, 2026 | 03:03 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the Defense Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, confirmed that the contents of the Letter of Intent (LOI) regarding the air traffic permit, or Overflight Clearance, submitted by the United States were not included in the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) agreement.
"That (the agreement regarding the flight permit for American aircraft) is not in the MDCP," Rico said when confirmed by Antara in Jakarta, Tuesday.
The MDCP is a defense cooperation framework recently signed by Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday (4/13) at the Pentagon in Washington DC.
According to Rico, the Indonesian government is still considering the point of cooperation regarding permits for American aircraft activities in Indonesian airspace.
He explained that, when considering the proposal, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense will prioritize Indonesian sovereignty, national interests, and compliance with applicable national and international laws.
Rico emphasized that any decision made by the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. must benefit Indonesia. He ensured that public security and national sovereignty were the government's top priorities when deciding on international cooperation measures.
"All forms of cooperation must continue to provide tangible benefits for Indonesia and must not diminish the basic principles of state sovereignty, the independence of national policies, and Indonesia's position as a country that consistently pursues an independent and active foreign policy," Rico said.
Regarding the MDCP, Rico said that the military collaboration agreement between Indonesia and the U.S. includes cooperation in developing defense technology, increasing operational readiness, providing professional military education, and strengthening relations between the two countries' defense personnel.
"This cooperation is seen as an opportunity to strengthen national defense capacity, while remaining within the framework of an independent and active foreign policy, national interests, and full respect for state sovereignty," he said.
Previously, information circulated regarding a letter of agreement between Indonesia and the U.S. The letter states that the U.S. has full freedom to fly over Indonesian airspace. The letter outlines several points of agreement between the two countries.
One point is that the Indonesian government has granted permits for flights across U.S. airspace for emergency operations, crisis management, and joint training activities.
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