JAKARTA - Indonesia is scheduled to receive a grant for the ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier from the Italian Government in September 2026 after the Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives approved its acceptance. Ahead of the arrival of the ship, Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Golkar Party Faction, Nurul Arifin, assessed that the grant was a strategic step to strengthen Indonesia's maritime defense while increasing the TNI's deterrence (deterrence) in the region, without changing the character of Indonesia's foreign policy. free and active.
According to Nurul, the presence of the aircraft carrier should not be interpreted as Indonesia's preparation to carry out military aggression against other countries. Instead, the ship will be an important instrument in maintaining maritime territorial sovereignty, strengthening border surveillance, and supporting humanitarian operations.
"Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world with a very large sea area. Therefore, we need a maritime platform that is capable of operating for a long time at sea as a command center, supporting border security operations, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and evacuating Indonesian citizens in the event of a crisis abroad," said Nurul Arifin to the media, Tuesday, July 21.
Nurul said, Indonesia's position on the international shipping route makes the ability to maintain the sea area increasingly important. With having an aircraft carrier like Giuseppe Garibaldi, the country's presence in strategic areas will be stronger."The effect of intimidation is not merely about the ability to attack, but how other countries see that Indonesia has the capacity to maintain its own territory. The presence of this ship will increase the confidence of the Indonesian Navy and strengthen Indonesia's position in maintaining regional stability," said the Chairman of the Media and Public Opinion Gathering (MPO) of the Golkar Party.
However, Nurul reminded that the aircraft carrier, which is about 40 years old, still requires a thorough technical evaluation so that it can be operated optimally. "The age of the ship is a concern. However, if the technical condition is still good and the modernization process is carried out properly, this ship still has a great strategic value. What is much more important is the transfer of knowledge, operational experience, and the improvement of Indonesian human resources capacity in operating aircraft carriers," he said.
He assessed that the grant also provided benefits in terms of state budgets. Compared to buying new aircraft carriers whose value can reach billions of US dollars, the grant from Italy is considered a much more efficient solution.
"The state does not incur the cost of procurement as much as buying a new ship. Of course there are still operational and maintenance costs that must be carefully considered, but in terms of initial investment this is a very good opportunity for Indonesia to increase its defense capabilities at a much more efficient cost," said Nurul.
According to this member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from West Java District 1, the existence of Giuseppe Garibaldi will also be a means of learning towards the modernization of the Indonesian naval force in the long term.
"We must see this grant as a strategic investment. In addition to strengthening maritime operational capabilities, this ship is a running laboratory for sailors, technicians, researchers, and the national defense industry to study aircraft carrier technology. Experience like this cannot be obtained only through classroom education," he said.
Nurul added that Indonesia does not really need a large-sized aircraft carrier like the one owned by the United States. However, platforms such as Giuseppe Garibaldi are considered to be in line with Indonesia's needs as a maritime country that prioritizes territorial protection, joint operations, and humanitarian missions.
"What we need is not the ability to project the strength to attack other countries, but the ability to maintain the Indonesian sea, strengthen the country's presence in the border area, and increase readiness to face various non-traditional threats and disasters. In this context, this ship has strategic value for Indonesia," said Nurul.
Previously, Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives approved the acceptance of a grant for one ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier from the Italian Government worth 54,022,426.67 euros or around Rp. 1.1 trillion. The government said that the process of receiving the ship had reached about 76 percent and targeted the ship to arrive in Indonesia in September 2026.
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