Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the 81st Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) in 2026 at Prima Field, TNI Headquarters, Cilangkap, East Jakarta Monday, October 5, 2026
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Good morning,
Peace be upon us all,
Shalom,
Salve,
Om swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.
Distinguished Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Gibran Rakabuming Raka; Distinguished 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia, General TNI (Ret.) Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono;
Distinguished 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo;
Distinguished spouse of the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Sinta Nuriyah Wahid; Distinguished spouse of the 6th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Tuti Try Sutrisno; Distinguished spouse of the 9th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soraya Hamzah Haz. Distinguished high-ranking state leaders;
Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI), Ahmad Muzani, along with the Deputy Speakers of the MPR RI;
Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI), Puan Maharani; Speaker of the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI), Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, along with the Deputy Speakers of the DPR RI;
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Sunarto;
Distinguished Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), General Agus Subiyanto;
Deputy Commander of TNI, General Tandyo Budi Revita;
Chief of Staff of the Army, General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak;
Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali;
Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Marshal TNI Mohamad Tonny Harjono;
Distinguished Coordinating Ministers, Ministers;
Chairperson of the National Economic Council;
Attorney General;
Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN),
Chief of the National Police,
Heads of Agency, and Deputy Ministers;
All Distinguished Members of the Red-and-White Cabinet;
Also attending the former Commanders of TNI, former Chiefs of Staff of the Army (KSAD), former Chiefs of Staff of the Navy (KSAL), and former Chiefs of Staff of the Air Force (KSAU): General (Ret.) Wiranto, General (Ret.) Endriartono Sutarto, Air Marshal (Ret.) Djoko Suyanto, Admiral (Ret.) Agus Suhartono, General (Ret.) Moeldoko, General (Ret.) Gatot Nurmantyo, Air Marshal (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto, General (Ret.) Andika Perkasa, and Admiral (Ret.) Yudo Margono;
Distinguished, respected, and honored veterans and the families of the national heroes present today, the defense attachés of friendly countries, the leaders of religious and community organizations;
Those who I am proud of and love—all soldiers of the TNI and their families, wherever you are and wherever you are on duty;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Invited Guests and all Indonesians, My Fellow Citizens and Countrymen,
First of all, as people of faith, let us never cease to offer our praise and gratitude to God Almighty, the Lord of the universe, for the blessings, peace, goodness He has bestowed upon our nation, and for the good health that enables us to gather at the TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap this morning.
On behalf of the Government, the state, the nation, and the people of Indonesia, and on my own behalf, I extend my warmest congratulations to the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) on their 81st anniversary. Long live the TNI!
To all TNI soldiers, I express my gratitude on behalf of the Government, the state, the nation, and the people of Indonesia. Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifices in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, preserving its territorial integrity, strengthening national unity, and protecting all the people of Indonesia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since its inception, the TNI’s strength has been inseparable from the people. The TNI is a force of the people, a national force, and a force of freedom fighters. Therefore, the theme of the 81st Anniversary of the TNI is “TNI is strong with the people. Indonesia is sovereign, just, and prosperous.” This theme carries profound meaning. As I mentioned earlier, the TNI was born of the people and fights alongside the people. Its soldiers are fighters for independence. Before the state could provide a budget, TNI soldiers stood with the people, serving without pay. The people of Indonesia provided them with food. TNI’s entire strength must therefore be devoted to protecting the people.
Your body and soul no longer belong to you, nor to your family. Your body and soul belong to the Indonesian people. Therefore, never distance yourselves from the people. You must live among them. TNI soldiers must always listen to the people’s concerns, understand their hardships, and be there when the people need them
I have seen firsthand how our soldiers are there when disaster strikes—floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires. You came without waiting to be ordered. Every commander took the initiative; every commander-in-chief acted without waiting for orders from the superior. The people’s hardship is the TNI’s responsibility. You came when roads were damaged. You stepped in while conditions were still dangerous. Some of your comrades gave their lives or suffered injuries while helping people cope with disasters. You helped with evacuate people, cleared roads, built thousands of bridges, and delivered food and medicine to remote and isolated areas. In such times of hardship, people see who truly stands with them.
I express my gratitude and respect to all of you. Continue to be soldiers of the people. Strong soldiers are those who remain close to the people. History has shown, and the current geopolitical situation has reaffirmed, that the strength a soldier is not determined by weapons or equipment alone. What matters most is spirit; the spirit of sacrifice. Soldier with a spirit of sacrifice, a nation willing to sacrifice, a resilient and courageous people—those are the true strength of a nation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My fellow soldiers of the TNI, whom I proudly salute, our nation’s leaders have affirmed from the very beginning, and I reiterate today, that we love peace. We do not seek to interfere with anyone. We respect all nations, all countries, and all powers. But we do not want anyone to interfere with us. We will always protect our people, defend our territory, and safeguard our nation’s wealth for the welfare of our people and the future of our children and grandchildren. We seek to eradicate poverty and hunger from the land of Indonesia. We built the TNI for that very purpose—to defend ourselves and protect our people.
The world today is full of turmoil and uncertainty. We do not know when a threat may arise. Today’s threats are no longer merely physical. We could come under attack, and may already be under attack, through cyber networks, disinformation, and false news aimed at undermining Indonesia’s unity and creating unrest. Our economy is being disrupted. Our nation’s wealth is being stolen. Smuggling threatens our nation. The smuggling of our stolen wealth out of the country threatens our sovereignty, while the smuggling of drugs into the country threatens the nation’s survival.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, warfare is not necessarily physical. Therefore, the TNI must continue to adapt. Learn, learn, and learn. Train, train, and train. Peacetime is the time to prepare for even the gravest threats.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The TNI must be a professional, responsive, modern, innovative, and adaptive force. The TNI must master technology and prioritize merit. I emphasize once again: a great TNI is one that places merit first. The system within the TNI must be based on merit, not on seniority or narrow loyalties, including loyalties to individual service branches.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
TNI soldiers must be able to work in partnership and coordination with ministries, institutions, the Central Government, regional governments, governors, regents, district heads, village heads, and tribal chiefs. The TNI’s strength and capabilities must be harnessed to accelerate the implementation of Government programs and alleviate the hardships faced by the people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our nation, our country, is vast. We have thousands of islands, extensive maritime territories, long borders, and strategic assets that we must safeguard. We will continue to build our strength. We must remember that Indonesia is as vast as Europe, which comprises more than 30 countries. They have 30 armed-forces, 30 air forces, and 30 navies. We have just one, the TNI. Your task is formidable, but I am confident you can fulfil it.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Government will continue to attend to the welfare of our soldiers, their children’s education, their access to health services, and the well-being of their families. However, I emphasize once again: TNI soldiers are soldiers of the people. Their standard of living must not be too far removed from that of our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A soldier’s service demands tremendous sacrifices from their family. Therefore, once again, I express my appreciation and gratitude to the wives of our soldiers, to the husbands of women serving in the TNI, and to the children and parents of our soldiers, who wait for their loved ones to return, always prepared for the possibility that they may never come.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On your shoulders rests a heavy burden. On your shoulders rest the honor, sovereignty, and independence of the Indonesian nation, and the welfare of our people. From Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island, let us safeguard our territory, protect our people, and fight to preserve our nation’s wealth so that it may be enjoyed by all Indonesians.
To all soldiers of the Indonesian National Defense Forces, I wish you every success in carrying out your duties. Serve with honor. Serve with courage. Serve the people wholeheartedly.
Happy 81st anniversary to the Indonesian National Defense Forces. The TNI is strong with the people. Indonesia is sovereign. Indonesia is just, Indonesia is prosperous.
Thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Peace be upon us all,
Shalom,
Salve,
Om santi santi santi om,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.
(JAS/MEP)