Indonesia receives first aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi in Jakarta

September 18, 2026 at 12:54 PM2 min

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Indonesia received its first aircraft carrier, the former Italian navy vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi, at Tanjung Priok seaport in North Jakarta on Friday. President Prabowo Subianto said the ship will be used for disaster relief across the archipelago. The arrival comes amid a military upgrade drive and closer defence cooperation with other countries.

Key Facts

The 180-metre vessel can carry up to 18 helicopters and accommodate up to 830 personnel.
The carrier will be renamed KRI Sriwijaya, honouring the Srivijaya empire.
Indonesia's Finance Ministry approved $450m in financing for the aircraft carrier programme in 2025.
Italy agreed to give Indonesia the carrier in March, after it was retired in 2014.
Jakarta signed an $8.1bn deal in 2022 to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets.

Vessel Capabilities

The 180-metre (590-foot) vessel can carry up to 18 helicopters and accommodate up to 830 personnel, a navy spokesperson said in a statement. The carrier will be renamed KRI Sriwijaya, honouring the Srivijaya empire, a maritime kingdom based in Sumatra that became one of Southeast Asia's dominant naval and trading powers between the seventh and 13th centuries. Navy Chief of Staff Muhammad Ali said the ship could 'be deployed for combat missions if necessary'. Ali also said its condition is still very good and hopefully it can be used by the Indonesian navy for the next 15 to 20 years.

Defence Cooperation

The arrival of the vessel, which was commissioned by the Italian navy in 1985, comes as Prabowo has been pushing to upgrade Indonesia's military assets and build closer defence cooperation with other countries. Italy agreed to give Indonesia the carrier in March, after it was retired in 2014, to bolster defence engagement and save decommissioning costs. Indonesia's Finance Ministry approved $450m in financing for the aircraft carrier programme in 2025, though opposition politicians worry the overall bill could be far higher. Jakarta signed an $8.1bn deal in 2022, when Prabowo was defence minister, to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets. India confirmed this year that it will supply the country with long-range missiles, and Indonesia agreed to a 'Major Defence Cooperation Partnership' with the Trump administration and a security treaty with Australia.