Indonesia Military - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL), includes Marine Corps (Korps Marinir, KorMar), naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Komando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)), Armed Forces Special Operations Command (Koopssus), Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad)

Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai, KPLP) is under the Ministry of Transportation (2021)

note(s):  the Indonesian National Police includes a paramilitary Mobile Brigade Corps (BRIMOB); following the Bali terror bombing in 2002, the National Police formed a special counter-terrorism force called Detachment 88 (Densus or Detasemen Khusus 88 Antiteror)

Military expenditures

0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.7% of GDP (2019)

0.7% of GDP (2018)

0.9% of GDP (2017)

0.8% of GDP (2016)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Indonesian National Armed Forces have approximately, 400,000 active duty troops (300,000 Army; 65,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 30,000 Air Force) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Indonesian military inventory is comprised of equipment from a wide variety of sources; since 2010, the top suppliers are China, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US; Indonesia has a growing defense industry fueled by technology transfers and cooperation agreements with several countries; in 2019, the Indonesian Government publicly said that growing its domestic defense industry is a national priority over the next 5-10 years (2020)

Military deployments

200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,025 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2021)

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized; 2-year service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2019)

Maritime threats

the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; the number of attacks increased slightly from 25 incidents in 2019 to 26 in 2020 due to aggressive maritime patrolling by regional authorities; vessels continue to be boarded while anchored or berthed at Indonesian ports with two crew taken hostage and two threatened in 2020; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia

Military - note

Indonesian military and police forces are engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Papua against the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization, which has been fighting a low-level insurgency since the 1960s when Indonesia annexed the former Dutch colony; since 2019, there has been an increase in militant activity in Papua and a larger Indonesian military presence; Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969

in addition, the Indonesian military has been assisting police in countering the Mujahideen Indonesia Timur (MIT; aka East Indonesia Mujahideen), a local Islamic State (ISIS)-affiliated terrorist group

Indonesia is not a formal claimant in the South China Sea, although some of its waters lie within China's  “nine-dash line” maritime claims, resulting in some stand offs in recent years; since 2016, the Indonesian military has bolstered its presence on Great Natuna Island (aka Pulau Natuna Besar), the main island of the Middle Natuna Archipelago, which is part of the Riau Islands province, and held military exercises in surrounding waters

NOTE: The information regarding Indonesia on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Indonesia 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Indonesia 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.