ASEAN Beat | Security | Southeast Asia

Indonesia-U.S. Blanket Overflight Access: A Door That Others Will Push

Whether or not it is approved, Washington’s request for overflight access could invite even more controversial proposals in the future.

A low altitude flypass formation of Indonesian Air force fighter jets.

Indonesia’s foreign policy has once again drawn international attention, this time following reports that Washington is seeking “blanket” overflight access for U.S. military aircraft across the archipelago. The proposal, which reportedly covers broad transit and contingency-related activities, was leaked just before Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin’s scheduled visit to the Pentagon on April 13.

Jakarta confirmed that such discussions are taking place, but both the defense and foreign ministries stressed that the proposal, which was submitted by Washington, remains under careful review and that the country’s national interest and sovereignty will be prioritized in any defense agreements with any countries. The new Major Defense Cooperation Partnership that was announced during Sjafrie’s visit also makes no explicit mention of airspace access.

Criticism within Indonesia has been unsurprisingly swift and strong because many see that granting the United States blanket military overflight access would weaken Indonesia’s practical control over its own airspace, undermine the country’s sovereignty, and make Jakarta appear less neutral at a time of sharpening U.S.-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific.

Indonesia’s own officials have also voiced these concerns. According to a report by Reuters, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry warned the Defense Ministry that the proposal could entangle the country in South China Sea tensions, affect relations with China, and create national security risks. These concerns appear to be justified. Commenting on the proposal, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said last week that defense cooperation in Southeast Asia should not target or harm third parties and undermine regional stability.

Not the First Test from Trump

This is not the first time that the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has tested the boundaries of Indonesia’s foreign policy by seeking greater access for U.S. military assets. In 2020, Jakarta rejected a U.S. request to allow its P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to land and refuel in its territory, for similar geopolitical concerns.

The timing then was also striking: the proposal surfaced as then-Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto was concluding high-level talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper. The parallel with today’s controversy is hard to ignore. Once again, a sensitive U.S. military access proposal has emerged ahead of a senior-level defense engagement.

Taken together, these episodes suggest a recurring pattern. Trump’s administration continues to explore ways to expand operational access in and around Indonesia, as the archipelago lies along a critical air and sea corridor between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, therefore making access through Indonesian airspace strategically valuable for U.S. military activities.

The push may also reflect how Washington reads Prabowo himself. Since taking office, he has pursued a pragmatic and highly personal style of diplomacy, and his willingness to engage Trump on controversial initiatives may have convinced Washington that Indonesia is now more open to contentious proposals. Prabowo’s continuous support for the Board of Peace, his agreement to an unequal trade deal, and his relatively muted reaction to the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran – all of which have drawn strong criticism at home – may have further encouraged Washington to ask for more, this time in the form of broader overflight access. In this regard, going forward, we might see more cases where Washington proposes sensitive ideas and Jakarta agrees to consider them.

However, the issue of airspace access itself is not new. For years, Indonesia and the United States have held differing views on overflight rights over archipelagic sea lanes, particularly on the question of whether foreign military aircraft may transit without prior notification or security as well as diplomatic clearance. Analysts note that this disagreement has surfaced repeatedly in operational practice, including in debates over U.S. military flights through Indonesia’s........

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