Indonesia:
New Sources of Arms
Jakarta is seeking to build up its navy and air force. Is this worrying? Not at moment.
Feb 28, 2001

Ousted and disgraced president Suharto was regarded by Singapore as a sanguine leader who brought long-term benefits to Southeast Asia simply by focusing on developing Indonesia¹s economy - at the expense of its military forces.

Especially its navy and air force. For most part of his rule, these two military arms were in mothballs, non-threatening.

To take over its smaller neighbours, Indonesia, with its vast 13,900 islands, needs a strong navy and air force. Both are now weak.

Mr. Suharto had realised that if he had diverted resources to make them strong, the economy would suffer. It would have frightened off investors and raised suspicions of its neighbours, sparking off an expensive arms race in the region.

Recently Indonesia signed a military agreement with India to expand military contacts and training opportunities and step up defence purchases.

The agreement was signed during Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mid-January visit to Jakarta. Indonesia cited a need to find additional sources for defence equipment because of Washington¹s ban.

This is over the Indonesian Army's role in the violence and human rights abuses in East Timor.

For the Indians, whose growing defence industries need customers, the deal has come as a welcoming one. They are likely to offer generous prices to gain access to the Indonesian market.

In addition, Jordan has also offered to donate and sell military materiel to Indonesia, including aircraft, spare parts and other equipment.

Added to similar military co-operation agreements signed last year with Russia and China, it is clear Indonesia will seek actively to diversify its sources of military equipment.

Some regional think tanks, especially in Australia, are worried by the buildup. Have they a case for concern? Not at the moment. They are mostly for defensive purposes at home.

According to Jane¹s Defence Weekly, chronic maintenance problems, unrelated to the US boycott, have been weakening Indonesia's armed forces. The air force's Lockheed Martin C-130 transport fleet, for example, is reportedly reduced to only four operational aircraft.

In addition, President Abdurrahman Wahid said in mid-December that only eight of the air force's 30 helicopters were operational.

He also cited the 1960s-era Soviet amphibious tanks in the Marine Corps and the ancient vessels used by the Maritime Police as equipment in urgent need of replacement.

The USA recently agreed to resume shipment of C-130 spare parts, based on humanitarian missions frequently flown by the transport aircraft in Indonesia.

However, the ban on sales of weapons and military equipment remains in place. The Defence Weekly said agreement with India marks a notable shift in Indonesian thinking. The armed forces have long been wary of India's rapidly expanding 'blue water' naval capabilities.

However, the two countries share important interests in Indian Ocean waters, and northwestern Sumatra and Sabang Island are close to India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Since taking office President Wahid has prioritised modernisation and expansion of the navy and air force to implement his high-priority policy of better surveillance and protection of Indonesia's vast maritime resources.

Fisheries poaching, smuggling, and illegal resource extraction in remote regions of the Indonesian archipelago drain billions of dollars from the country's economy.

Air force and navy commanders have often complained that much of their transport fleets have been rendered inoperable due to the lack of spare parts, and that it has becoming increasingly difficult to maintain security in troubled parts of the sprawling archipelagic nation.

In fact, troubles and poor morale are besieging the Indonesian armed forces when they are needed to quell violence in parts of the nation.

Its powerful wings have been clipped by President Wahid. Military arms and equipment are in poor shape - and it is loved neither at home nor abroad.

At the moment its weakness and inability to maintain stability at home is worrying its neighbours more than the military buildup.

Seah Chiang Nee