Key facts
- Indonesia received its first aircraft carrier, a former Italian warship, on Friday.
- The vessel, ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, will be commissioned as KRI Gajah Mada.
- Italy gifted the 41-year-old ship, retired in 2024, to Indonesia.
- The carrier is intended to strengthen maritime security and disaster response.
- Indonesia's finance ministry approved $450 million in financing for the program.
- Some lawmakers estimate the total cost, including retrofitting, could reach $900 million.
Indonesia has received its first aircraft carrier, a former Italian warship, which arrived Friday at a naval base in North Jakarta. The vessel, the 41-year-old ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, was retired by Italy in 2024 and gifted to Indonesia in March as part of broader defense engagement. The transfer makes Indonesia only the second country in Southeast Asia, after Thailand, to operate an aircraft carrier.
The ship will be formally commissioned into the Indonesian Navy as the KRI Gajah Mada, named after a 14th-century Majapahit-era military leader. President Prabowo Subianto's administration has prioritized defense development, including expanding the military with new acquisitions and fostering international cooperation.
However, the acquisition has sparked debate among defense analysts, economists, and opposition politicians. Critics question the necessity of an aircraft carrier for Indonesia and the expenditure of millions of dollars on refurbishing and operating an aging vessel amidst domestic fiscal pressures. While Indonesia's finance ministry approved $450 million in financing, some lawmakers warn the total cost, including retrofitting, could reach approximately $900 million (16 trillion rupiah).
Unlike major naval powers that use carriers for power projection, Indonesia views the KRI Gajah Mada as a mobile command center and support hub for helicopters, drones, and maritime operations across its vast archipelago. President Prabowo has highlighted its potential role in combating forest fires and responding to natural disasters, common in the seismically active "Ring of Fire."
Experts, however, question the operational costs and necessity for Indonesia's defense and disaster-relief needs. Muhammad Fauzan Malufti of the Center for Strategic and International Studies emphasized the need for transparency regarding operational sustainability, including personnel, maintenance, and fuel, and cited Thailand's carrier, often docked due to budget constraints, as a cautionary tale. Military analyst Khairul Fahmi suggested that submarines, frigates, and asymmetric weapons systems might be a greater priority for protecting maritime sovereignty, though he acknowledged a carrier could serve as a symbol of national power and a multifunctional platform.