Indonesia expands military as defence budget soars


The reorganisation underscores the growing role of South-East Asia’s largest military under President Prabowo Subianto. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

JAKARTA (Bloomberg): Indonesia has created more than 20 regional commands in its biggest armed forces overhaul in decades, coinciding with a sharp increase in defence spending under President Prabowo Subianto and mounting concerns over growing military influence.

Prabowo, a former general, inaugurated new commands for the army, navy and air force on Sunday to mark the largest reorganization since the era of the authoritarian ruler Suharto, when the military maintained an extensive territorial network that reached into every province.

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