JAKARTA — Indonesia’s move this week to beef up security by setting aside more money for defence in its state budget is necessary to improve its defensive capabilities and security systems to deter potential aggressors, said analysts.

However, they added that Jakarta must articulate the reasons behind its plan well to avoid any misinterpretations by its neighbours.

The government of new President Joko Widodo announced on Tuesday a plan to bolster the country’s defence spending to almost triple its current budget by 2019.

Mr Luhut Panjaitan, an adviser to Mr Widodo, had said Indonesia’s defence spending was targeted to increase to 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product over the next five years to protect the country’s sovereignty and national interests.

So far, analysts have welcomed the move. Mr Muradi, a defence and military analyst at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, agreed with the nation’s plan to set such an impressive target for its defence and security sector, saying “our defence sector is already 10 years behind neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia”.

Mr Muradi said Indonesia’s defence-sector spending — which includes the purchase of primary weaponry defence systems, cost of security monitoring and stipends for military personnel — should make up at least 2 per cent of the country’s GDP to be considered adequate.

This year, Indonesia has allocated 83 trillion rupiah (S$8.82 billion), which represents 0.8 per cent of the total state budget, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said early last month.

“As of now, I believe there’s no other way to modernise our weaponry except for raising the defence-sector budget,” Mr Muradi told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

Experts have said, however, that to avoid any misinterpretations by its neighbours, Indonesia would have to explain and clearly outline the reasons behind its plan.

“Increasing the military budget could make other countries worry and, if it’s not explained in a very clear and diplomatic way, it could be dangerous,” Mr Hikmahanto Juwana, a professor of international law and relations at the University of Indonesia, told the Jakarta Globe.

“Therefore, Indonesia must be able to justify clearly in its White Paper on defence its reasons for the need to increase spending.