"Indonesia modernizes its military in the face of China's ambitions"

After years of focusing on dealing with domestic separatist and Islamic extremist threats, Indonesia is now planning to modernize its military, deploy attack helicopters on its southernmost islands in the South China Sea and develop its navy.

Jakarta was forced to change its military strategy after China increased its aggressive actions against the Philippines and Vietnam, especially after China illegally deployed the Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig in the East Sea.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III (right) and his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the signing ceremony of the Agreement on the demarcation of maritime exclusive economic zones (Source: THX-TTXVN)

RFI quoted Mr. Tim Huxley, Executive Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore, saying that Indonesia changed its defense spending target to deal with external threats. Indonesia is not only concerned about the East Sea becoming China's backyard, but also needs to maintain freedom of navigation.

Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that to protect the territory, from now until 2029, about 40% of Indonesia's defense budget will focus on developing the Minimum Essential Force (MEF), equipping more tanks, submarines, helicopters and fighter jets.

Under the MEF modernization framework, the Indonesian government is seeking to acquire 274 warships, 10 fighter squadrons and 12 diesel-electric submarines.

IHS Jane's defense magazine said in March that Indonesia will deploy four Boeing Apache attack helicopters to the Natuna Islands as part of its containment policy due to instability in the South China Sea.

According to the magazine, with China increasingly assertive in its territorial claims in the East Sea, the Indonesian military is increasing its military presence on the Natuna Islands, including preparing facilities to be able to receive fighter jets.

Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia and wants a commensurate role, experts say.

The Stockholm Peace Research Institute estimates that in 2013, Indonesia's military spending reached 81,960 billion Rupiah (7.7 billion USD) compared to 72,940 billion Rupiah in 2012./.

According to VNA