World News
Indonesia receives its first aircraft carrier as critics dispute project costs
A retired Italian warship arrived in Jakarta intended for disaster response and defense amid debate over retrofit expenses.
The short version
- Indonesia took delivery of the 41-year-old former Italian warship Giuseppe Garibaldi at Tanjung Priok port.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- President Prabowo Subianto designated the vessel for disaster management and fighting forest and peatland fires.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- Lawmakers, defense analysts, and economists question the expenditure amid domestic fiscal pressures, warning refurbishments could reach $900 million.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
Key facts
- Indonesia received the 41-year-old former Italian warship ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi at Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- Italy agreed in March to transfer the decommissioned carrier to Indonesia to strengthen bilateral defense ties and eliminate its own disposal expenses.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- Indonesia's finance ministry cleared $450 million in financing for the vessel's program in 2025.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- President Prabowo Subianto indicated the ship will support responses to natural disasters and peatland and forest fires.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The total financial cost of updating the carrier remains contested; parliamentary commission member TB Hasanuddin estimated retrofitting could cost approximately $900 million (16 trillion rupiah).[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.