Indonesia Reviews US Overflight Plan, Puts Sovereignty First

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono said the government will place national interests and sovereignty at the forefront of any discussions on granting broader air access permits in Indonesian airspace, following reports of a proposed blanket overflight arrangement with the United States.

Speaking at a press conference at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Sugiono stressed that the proposal remains at an early stage. He described it as an initiative put forward by Washington that would require thorough deliberation within Indonesia’s legal and policy framework.

“There will be a process and mechanism for discussion, including how such arrangements would be implemented in Indonesia,” he said, adding that “sovereignty and national interests will certainly be a priority.”

Sugiono noted that similar air access arrangements are not uncommon in international relations, and reiterated Indonesia’s long-standing “free and active” foreign policy doctrine.

He emphasized that cooperation of this nature would not be inherently problematic if conducted transparently and in accordance with national procedures.

He also urged the public not to interpret the proposal as a threat to Indonesia’s sovereignty or as a move that could entangle the country in global conflicts.

“Given the current global situation, Indonesia will inevitably be affected by developments elsewhere,” he said.

The issue surfaced following reports by The Sunday Guardian, which cited confidential US defense documents outlining efforts to secure blanket overflight access for American military aircraft through Indonesian airspace.

The report said the proposal emerged after a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., in February.

Separately, Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Rico Ricardo Sirait confirmed that the proposal is still under internal government review. He described it as an initiative from the United States and said authorities are carefully examining its terms.

According to Rico, the document is non-binding and does not automatically take effect.

“It still requires further discussion through applicable national technical and procedural mechanisms,” he said in a statement on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.