Indonesia signs pact with Japan, US seeks overflight
SkimNews Take
Indonesia's multi-directional foreign policy, driven by internal political and economic factors, inadvertently positions it as a potential flashpoint in great power competition, regardless of its stated non-alignment.
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- Indonesia and Japan signed a defense cooperation agreement earlier this month that could let Jakarta acquire lethal weapons from Tokyo.
- United States has asked Indonesia for broad military overflight access, prompting warnings from Jakarta’s Foreign Ministry about surveillance and alliance perception.
- Russia is supplying energy to Indonesia under sanctions pressure, as Jakarta diversifies its energy sources.
- Iran's war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have caused an oil shock, underscoring the strategic risk to the nearby Malacca Strait that Indonesia controls.
- President Prabowo Subianto met Xi Jinping in September 2025 and attended China’s military parade, while Indonesia also joined BRICS+ in January 2025, deepening economic ties with China.
Why it matters: The US gains possible overflight rights over Indonesia’s airspace, while China sees Jakarta’s tilt toward Tokyo as a strategic loss; Indonesia risks becoming a flashpoint that could disrupt Malacca‑Strait trade worth billions.
