A leaked plan to allow the US military access to supersonic flight IndonesiaThe airspace has sparked a domestic dispute over concerns that Jakarta is “collaborating with an aggressor” during Washington’s war on Iran.
Analysts say the defense document, first reported by New Delhi’s Sunday Guardian newspaper, raises concerns that the President Prabowo Subianto it may be selling Indonesia’s strategic independence.
The proposal, which has reportedly emerged following the meeting in February between Prabowo and the President of the United States Donald Trumpit is said to provide a “blanket” of US military aircraft to the Southeast Asian nation’s airspace for emergency operations, crisis response and joint exercises.
Indonesia’s defense ministry on Monday acknowledged the plan but said it was incomplete, describing it as a draft “letter of intent” still under review. It further emphasized that the government maintained full control of Indonesia’s airspace.
Behind the scenes, divisions have emerged. According to a Reuters report on Wednesday, Indonesia’s foreign ministry sent a letter marked urgent and confidential to the defense ministry in early April warning that granting overflight rights risks drawing Jakarta into foreign conflicts.
