Hamzah, Luthfy (2026) Indonesia's overflight tact is vital for its airspace sovereignty. Daily Sabah, NA (NA). pp. 1-3.
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Abstract
This article examines Indonesia's approach to proposed United States overflight access through the intersecting lenses of airspace sovereignty, strategic autonomy, and non-alignment. It argues that negotiations over military overflight privileges extend beyond technical airspace facilitation and reflect broader geopolitical pressures arising from the United States' search for operational flexibility across the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean. Indonesia's decision to pause discussions on unrestricted overflight access is interpreted not as a rejection of defence cooperation with Washington, but as a strategic recalibration consistent with its longstanding "Bebas dan Aktif" (Free and Active) foreign policy. The article introduces the concept of "active equidistance" to describe Indonesia's effort to cultivate security and economic relations with competing major powers while resisting one-sided strategic alignment. It further conceptualises standing overflight arrangements as a potential form of "modulated sovereignty," whereby formal sovereign authority is retained but its routine exercise may become increasingly shaped by institutionalised access arrangements. While deeper cooperation with the United States may provide benefits in intelligence sharing, capacity building, and deterrence, the article highlights the risks of domestic legitimacy concerns, strategic entanglement, and deteriorating relations with other major powers. Ultimately, it argues that Indonesia's management of its airspace demonstrates the growing geopolitical significance of sovereign air domains and the need to balance strategic cooperation with political legitimacy, regional sensitivities, and long-term foreign policy autonomy.
| Item Type: | Article (Electronic Media) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Indonesia; airspace sovereignty; strategic autonomy; Bebas dan Aktif; active equidistance; US–Indonesia relations; overflight access; modulated sovereignty; non-alignment; Indo-Pacific |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JZ International relations |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) Office of the Rector |
| Depositing User: | Mr Muhammad Syameer Luthfy Bin Hamzah |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Jul 2026 10:29 |
| Last Update: | 21 Jul 2026 10:29 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-07-Q4193 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/130095 |
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