Andika Pratama, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has allocated land in 326 regencies to support the establishment of 500 new battalions under the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) while also ensuring food security, Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister Nusron Wahid confirmed Wednesday.
The initiative follows President Prabowo Subianto's directive in late February 2025. The designated land consists of state reserve land, including former business-use rights (HGU) and building-use rights (HGB) that were not renewed.
"Within a week of the president's order, we handed over land in 326 regencies to the minister of defense and the army chief of staff," Nusron said.
However, 174 planned battalion sites have yet to secure land. Nusron assured that the government is actively searching for suitable locations to meet the target.
Beyond military expansion, President Prabowo has also instructed that each battalion be equipped with at least 500 hectares of productive land to support national food security efforts.
"If each battalion requires 500 hectares, the total land requirement reaches 250,000 hectares. Over the past five years, we have identified around 1.4 million hectares of abandoned land," Nusron said.
The government will categorize the land based on its intended use, including transmigration, housing, and productive agriculture.
Nusron stressed that land certification is crucial to protecting state assets and preventing unauthorized claims.
"How can we defend the sovereignty of Indonesia if TNI-owned land is taken by others? Certification is the key to protecting state land," he said.
He also expressed appreciation for the collaboration between the Indonesian Army and the Ministry of Defense in securing land assets.
With this initiative, Nusron hopes the development of 500 new battalions and national food security programs will proceed as planned.