Indonesian Parliament Okays Subs from Russia
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Indonesia signaled its intent to purchase two submarines from Russia to bolster its current fleet, reports the Jakarta Post.
The government's plan to purchase Kilo-class submarines from Russia has received support from the House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defence and foreign affairs.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) had proposed a budget of Rp 37 trillion (S$3.6 billion) and an additional budget allocation of Rp 14.5 trillion for the Navy (TNI AL), larger than the budget allocations for the Army (TNI AD) and the Air Force (TNI AU) says the commission's member Sukamta.
Sukamta said that Indonesia is a maritime country, since around 70 per cent of its territory is oceanic, so sea security must be prioritized. He added that the submarine was currently the most sophisticated of its kind.
Indonesia’s geography and threats emanating from piracy to hostilities arising in the South China Sea necessitate a large, well-equipped navy. The planned acquisition comes as defense budget cuts are planned in light of the current economic slowdown.