https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/us-indonesia-defence-partnership-pete-hegseth-6055346
US Defense Secretary Hegseth announces 'major' defence partnership with Indonesia
A proposal to allow US military overflight in Indonesian airspace, however, is not part of the partnership, a spokesman for the Indonesian defence ministry told CNA.
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a "major" defence partnership with Indonesia following a meeting with the Southeast Asian nation's defence minister at the Pentagon.
However, a proposal to allow US military overflight in Indonesian airspace is not part of the partnership, a spokesman for the Indonesian defence ministry told CNA.
"We are elevating our relationship to a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP), in recognition of the strength and potential of our bilateral defence ties," Hegseth said in a statement on X on Monday (Apr 13).
The partnership covers "military modernisation and capacity building", "training and professional military education" and "exercises and operational cooperation", according to a joint statement.
"Both nations reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," the statement said.
Under the MDCP framework, the US and Indonesia will explore “mutually agreed cutting-edge initiatives, including co-developing sophisticated asymmetric capabilities pioneering next-generation defence technologies in the maritime, subsurface, and autonomous systems domains, and cooperating on maintenance, repair, and overhaul support to improve operational readiness,” both sides added.
“As a symbol of this elevated partnership, and reflective of the deep trust between their nations, both leaders have also committed to enhance joint special forces training.
“These engagements will advance mutual security interests and forge even stronger, more resilient bonds between American and Indonesian service members through expanded opportunities in premier professional military education and the establishment of defence alumni ties,” the joint statement read.
Jakarta said the partnership was an "opportunity to reinforce national defence capacity", but insisted that "free and active foreign policy, national interests, and full respect for state sovereignty" would be maintained.
It said that a US proposal to grant American military aircraft access over Indonesian airspace was being "carefully reviewed".
"It still requires further discussion through technical mechanisms and applicable national procedures," the Indonesian Ministry of Defence statement added.
In response to CNA’s queries, Rico Ricardo Sirait - the spokesperson for the Indonesian defence ministry - said over a text message that overflight clearance by the US in Indonesian airspace is not included in the MDCP.
“Based on the officially published MDCP document available on the Pentagon’s website, overflight clearance is not part of the partnership,” Rico told CNA.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Indonesia’s foreign ministry had warned their colleagues at the defence ministry that the American proposal to get “blanket” permission to fly over the Southeast Asian country’s territory may risk entangling Jakarta into potential South China Sea conflicts.
Indonesia is not a claimant state of the waterway. While China claims much of the South China Sea, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states that have laid a claim to the important waterway include Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Citing sources, Reuters on Tuesday reported that a letter marked as urgent and confidential was delivered to Indonesia’s defence ministry ahead of Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin meeting with Hegseth.
The letter had purportedly urged Indonesia’s defence ministry to delay any final agreement with Washington on the overflight proposal. Reuters also reported that its two Indonesian sources had said that the proposal had been slated to be signed at Monday’s meeting.
A report by Pentagon News carried on the Department of War website cited Hegseth as telling Sjafrie that his visit demonstrates the importance the Pentagon “places on our growing security relationship”.
"This [partnership] signifies the strength and potential of our security relationship … bolsters regional deterrence, and advances our shared commitment to peace through strength," Hegseth was quoted as saying by Pentagon News.
It also quoted Sjafrie in turn saying that his delegation was visiting with “great enthusiasm” to develop bilateral defence ties.
"We're working on behalf of mutual respect and mutual benefit to enhance (the) value of our national interests."
While Jakarta says it maintains a non-aligned diplomatic posture, last year it joined the BRICS bloc of emerging economies that includes Russia and China.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday for oil talks.
But Prabowo has also signed a trade deal with US President Donald Trump and joined his so-called "Board of Peace".
The country is strategically located on the Malacca Strait - the world's busiest chokepoint for oil and petroleum liquids, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
According to reports, the US has formal defence treaties with over 50 countries, primarily through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as regional agreements in Asia and the Americas.
In the Indo-Pacific region, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Australia all have mutual defence treaties with the US. This means that the US is obligated to help defend the partner if attacked.
Meanwhile, Singapore is recognised as a Major Security Cooperation Partner of the US.
According to the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Washington DC, the two countries also signed a joint Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2015 to identify areas of cooperation in biosecurity, cyber defence, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and strategic communications.
Additional reporting by Ericssen
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