Meanwhile, Akbar placed Indonesia somewhere between strategic partners like Singapore and formal treaty allies such as the Philippines and Thailand “in the spectrum of defence relations with the US”.
“Indonesia is not bound by a mutual defence pact, but the ‘major’ designation reflects its importance as a key strategic partner for the US in the region. Legally, the MDCP is clearly a non-binding, cooperative framework rather than a formal defence alliance,” he said.
Rezasyah nevertheless argued that the pact carries broader strategic meaning because of Indonesia’s geography and weight.
“In practical terms, although the document lacks detailed clarity, it carries a similar spirit to US security arrangements with countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, and even Vietnam.
“Given Indonesia’s geoeconomic and geostrategic importance, the agreement also leaves room for future contingencies, including potential developments related to the South China Sea,” he told CNA.
While Indonesia is not a claimant of the South China Sea, China’s “nine-dash line” claiming most of the waterway overlaps with Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near the oil- and gas-rich Natuna Islands. ASEAN states that have laid a claim to the important waterway include Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.
OVERFLIGHT AND SOVEREIGNTY
Political sensitivity around the MDCP deepened amid reports that the US was separately seeking overflight access for military aircraft through Indonesian airspace.
Reuters reported that Indonesia’s foreign ministry warned the defence ministry in an early-April letter that a US proposal to grant its military “blanket” permission to fly over Indonesian territory risked entangling Jakarta in potential South China Sea conflicts.
The letter, marked urgent and confidential, urged the defence ministry to delay any final agreement with Washington.
Indonesia’s defence ministry later clarified to CNA that overflight clearance is not part of the MDCP.
“Based on the officially published MDCP document available on the Pentagon’s website, overflight clearance is not part of the partnership,” defence ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait said.
Even so, the issue has remained sensitive because it touches directly on sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Akbar said that the overflight proposal, as far as he knew, had not been approved.
“To my knowledge, the proposal for overflight clearance for US military aircraft has not yet been approved. However, there are potential benefits and risks for Indonesia if such access is granted,” he told CNA.
Akbar said that overflight could bring practical advantages by improving logistics for joint exercises such as Super Garuda Shield, strengthening operational capacity and interoperability and supporting quicker humanitarian responses.