Indonesia signed letter but made no commitment to US on airspace access, defence minister says

Indonesia signed letter but made no commitment to US on airspace access, defence minister says

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Jakarta: Indonesia has signed a letter of intent with the United States regarding military overflight clearance but has made no formal commitment to grant American military aircraft access to its airspace, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced on Tuesday.

Speaking before a parliamentary hearing with House Commission I, Sjafrie clarified that the document signed during his visit to Washington last month is non-binding and does not compromise national sovereignty. 

He emphasized that the agreement explicitly focuses on respecting territorial integrity and establishing strict legal mechanisms rather than finalizing flight permissions. ‘We made not a single commitment with the U.S. on airspace. We uphold the constitution and our national interests,’ Sjafrie stated to reassure lawmakers.

The clarification follows intense domestic controversy and warnings from Indonesia’s foreign ministry that granting ‘blanket’ overflight permissions could risk entangling Jakarta in geopolitical conflicts, particularly in the South China Sea. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initially requested emergency transit access last year during an ASEAN meeting. While the two nations recently established a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership focused on military training and modernization, Indonesian officials maintain that all international agreements must firmly adhere to the country's foundational principle of strategic non-alignment.