The discourse on access to foreign air criticized, countries invited to respect the policy of active freedom

In an interview, Yuda Kurniawan, the academician of international relations from Bakrie University, emphasized the need to carefully examine the plan to allow foreign aircraft access in Indonesian airspace so as not to disrupt the principle of foreign action freedom.

According to Yuda, every policy in the defense and security sector should be based on national interests, not foreign interests.

He questioned whether this plan aligns with the active freedom policy or has the potential to draw Indonesia into global rivalry. Yuda stated this during a public discussion in Jakarta on April 29.

He believes that the preparation of the surveillance system and law enforcement is optimal. This includes preparing key defense system tools, such as radars, interceptors, and integrated command and control systems.

Beyond technical aspects, Yuda also stressed the need for mature geopolitical calculations, especially in the context of increasing rivalry between the United States and China in the region. Without proper calculations, this policy is seen as potentially putting Indonesia in a strategically vulnerable position.

Yuda urged for a clear risk mitigation, including the possibility of using Indonesian airspace for military or intelligence purposes against third countries.

These statements were made during a discussion titled “Pacific Independence is not an exclusion zone: criticizing foreign military access policies in the perspective of air sovereignty, national defense policy, and national values” organized by the Indonesian Youth Congress in Jakarta.

Yuda insisted that every international agreement on political, security, and economic issues must refer to law number 37 of 1999 on foreign relations. Additionally, the process must go through examination and approval by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia.

As a recommendation, he encouraged the government to strengthen air defense modernization and focus on active defensive diplomacy. These measures are seen as crucial to preserving sovereignty while ensuring continued international cooperation without sacrificing national interests.

“Indonesia must remain open to international cooperation but should not compromise sovereignty principles and national interests,” he declared.