Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Military (TNI) is holding the peak celebration of its 80th Anniversary at the National Monument (Monas) field, Central Jakarta, on Sunday, October 5, 2025. For this year's anniversary celebration, TNI has adopted the theme "TNI Prima, TNI Rakyat, Indonesia Maju" (Excellent TNI, People's TNI, Advancing Indonesia).
In his explanation, Chief of Information at TNI Headquarters Major General Freddy Ardianzah stated that the event will commence with a ceremony attended directly by President Prabowo Subianto. "The President will be the inspection officer," said Freddy in a WhatsApp message on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
During the ceremony, Prabowo will also be accompanied by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, and the three chiefs of each branch of the armed forces.
Freddy mentioned that the Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo and former high-ranking TNI officials are also scheduled to attend the celebration. Apart from the ceremony, the 80th Anniversary of TNI will feature various activities, including exhibitions of main weapon systems (alutsista), military parades, and battle demonstration performances.
The TNI Anniversary, or TNI Day, is commemorated every October 5. The Indonesian armed forces have undergone several name changes, such as People's Security Agency (BKR) and Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia (ABRI).
At the beginning of Indonesia's independence, the country did not have a unified military force. The BKR, formed during the session of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) on August 22, 1945, was not an official military organization. It was established to maintain local security without giving the impression that Indonesia was preparing to wage war against its allies.
Through a Government Declaration on October 5, 1945, the name BKR was changed to People's Security Army (TKR). The establishment of TKR became the precursor to today's TNI. In the late 1950s, through the Presidential Decree Number 316 of 1959, that date was commemorated as Armed Forces Day.
On January 7, 1946, the Indonesian armed forces changed their name to People's Security Army. In the same year, the name was changed to the Indonesian Republic Army (TRI) to comply with international military organization standards.
The name of the Indonesian armed forces changed once again. Less than a year later, on June 3, 1947, President Sukarno officially changed the name from TRI to the Indonesian National Military (TNI).
In 1962, Sukarno aimed to unify the armed forces and the police into a single command known as the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia. According to the official TNI website, this unification aimed to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in carrying out the country's security role and to distance itself from the influence of certain political groups.
During the reform era, there was a demand for the separation of the Indonesian National Police from the ABRI. It was hoped that the police would become a professional and independent institution, free from intervention in law enforcement. This demand was based on the difference in the roles and functions of the military and the police. The police are tasked with maintaining public order and security, while the military is to protect the country from enemy threats or to be used as combat forces.
As reported by Tempo, in line with these demands, Presidential Instruction of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 1999 was issued on April 1, 1999, which regulated the separation of the Indonesian National Police from ABRI.
This instruction provided guidance to the Minister of Defense and Security and the ABRI Commander to gradually take necessary steps to reform the Indonesian National Police, including the placement of systems and the organization of police force development and operations under the Department of Defense and Security. With this separation, the name ABRI reverted back to TNI.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2054454/indonesian-national-military-celebrates-80th-anniversary-at-mona