Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will enroll 4,000 civil servants in reserve component training starting in April, a Defense Ministry official said on Tuesday, as part of efforts to strengthen national defense readiness.
Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto said the two-month program is designed to avoid disrupting participants' regular duties.
"Training will likely begin in April," Donny told reporters in Jakarta. "I believe this program aligns with their responsibilities as civil servants. After all, the training lasts only about two months."
Participants will return to their respective agencies immediately after completing the program, he added.
Donny said the government ultimately hopes to extend reserve component membership to all civil servants nationwide, describing the initiative as a form of civic participation in national defense.
"Our goal is eventually to make all civil servants part of the reserve component, but for now we are starting with 4,000 people from across ministries and state institutions," he said.
According to the National Civil Service Agency, Indonesia had around 5.6 million civil servants as of the end of 2025.
By comparison, active personnel in the Indonesian National Armed Forces are estimated at about 400,000, including roughly 300,000 in the Army alone – highlighting the scale of the civilian workforce the government is seeking to gradually integrate into its reserve system.