Indonesia’s Geopolitical Position on Blanket Overflight Access: A National Security Perspective

Abstract

Indonesia’s strategic geographical position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans places its airspace within an important geopolitical environment, particularly amid increasing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region. As a sovereign state, Indonesia possesses full and exclusive sovereignty over its national airspace; however, cooperation in the fields of defense and security may create a need for foreign military aircraft to obtain access to Indonesian airspace. One mechanism that may arise in this context is blanket overflight access, which provides broader and more continuous access than individual flight authorization. This study aims to examine how blanket overflight access for foreign military aircraft is regulated from the perspective of Indonesian national law and how Indonesia’s strategic position in airspace geopolitics affects the implications of national security policy for such access. This research employs a normative juridical method using a statute approach and a conceptual approach. The study examines relevant national legislation, international legal instruments, scholarly literature, and other legal materials concerning airspace sovereignty, airspace management, international agreements, geopolitics, and national security. The findings indicate that blanket overflight access is not specifically regulated under Indonesian legislation but may be legally assessed through the framework governing state sovereignty over airspace, airspace management and security, defense and national security, and international agreements. The granting of such access must therefore be based on clear legal authority, defined limitations, and effective state control and oversight. From a geopolitical perspective, Indonesia’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific makes its airspace a significant strategic asset. Although blanket overflight access may strengthen defense cooperation and strategic relations, unrestricted or insufficiently controlled access may create vulnerabilities to national security and affect Indonesia’s strategic position and foreign policy. Accordingly, the implementation of blanket overflight access should be carefully balanced between the interests of international defense cooperation and the protection of Indonesia’s sovereignty, national interests, and national security.