Indonesia Secures Its First Aircraft Carrier, the Giuseppe Garibaldi, in Major Military Modernization Effort

Indonesia has officially received its first-ever aircraft carrier during a military ceremony following the vessel's arrival at a naval base. The 41-year-old former Italian navy vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi arrived at North Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok seaport on Friday, completing a voyage from Italy through Colombo and the Malacca strait, as confirmed to reporters by Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Muhammad Ali.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that the ship will primarily support disaster management across the archipelago, though the delivery coincides with a broader push to modernize the nation's military. According to a navy statement, the 180-metre (590-foot) vessel accommodates up to 830 personnel and is capable of carrying as many as 18 helicopters. The carrier will receive a new name, KRI Sriwijaya, paying tribute to the Srivijaya empire, a historic maritime kingdom based in Sumatra that served as a major naval and trading power in Southeast Asia between the seventh and 13th centuries.

“There are many disasters in this country. So we really need a vessel or platform that could carry many helicopters, because the helicopters can drop logistics quickly to remote areas,” Ali explained, while also acknowledging that the platform could “be deployed for combat missions if necessary”.

The arrival of the ship, originally commissioned by the Italian navy in 1985, highlights President Prabowo's ongoing efforts to enhance Indonesia’s military capabilities and foster closer defense ties internationally. Following the vessel's retirement in 2014, Italy agreed to transfer the carrier to Indonesia in March to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation. While the arrangement saves Italy decommissioning costs and positions the nation for potential submarine and aircraft deals, Ali noted that the carrier remains in excellent condition and is expected to serve the Indonesian navy for another 15 to 20 years.

In 2025, the Indonesia Finance Ministry cleared $450m in financing for the aircraft carrier initiative, though opposition politicians have expressed concerns that total expenses could escalate. Nonetheless, President Prabowo—a former general under the Suharto regime—has prioritized the expansion of Indonesia's defense assets and international agreements. Previous major defense milestones include an $8.1bn agreement signed in 2022 during Prabowo's tenure as defense minister to acquire 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets, alongside commitments from India this year to provide long-range missiles. Furthermore, Indonesia entered into a “Major Defence Cooperation Partnership” with the Trump administration in the United States and established a security treaty with Australia.