January 5, 2026 | 08:02 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government keeps adding Territorial Development Battalions and regional military commands. The military could penetrate ever deeper into civilian affairs.
A massive expansion of the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) territorial structure is set to continue in 2026. This year, the government plans to form 150 Territorial Development Battalions. These new TNI units are not only trained for combat but also equipped to farm crops and raise livestock.
Defense Ministry Information Bureau Chief Brig. Gen. Rico Ricardo Sirait said the battalions are designed to accelerate national development. According to Rico, the plan aligns with the military’s Operations Other Than War. “It does not replace the functions of other institutions,” he said on Friday, December 26, 2025.
Although the creation of 150 battalions has been announced, Rico said the plan remains under review, taking into account needs and budget capacity. Meanwhile, Army Information Service Chief Brig. Gen. Donny Pramono said the organizational development program has been prepared and will be implemented gradually through 2029.
The expansion of the TNI’s territorial structure forms part of President Prabowo Subianto’s medium-term defense policy. By 2029, the government targets the formation of around 750 Territorial Development Battalions. Operational duties and command over these units will be handled by the Territorial Development Brigades.
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