Indonesia receives first aircraft carrier, a gifted Italian warship, amid cost debate

Indonesia has taken delivery of its first aircraft carrier, a 41-year-old former Italian warship that the government says will bolster the archipelagic nation's maritime security and disaster response capabilities, according to The Guardian.

The vessel, formerly known as the ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, arrived on Friday morning at a naval base in North Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port, where it was welcomed with a military ceremony, the report said.

The ship, gifted to Indonesia by Italy, is capable of carrying aircraft with short takeoff and vertical landing capability, as well as helicopters, according to The Guardian.

The acquisition has prompted debate among defence analysts and opposition politicians, who have questioned the true cost of taking on the aging warship as well as its purpose within Indonesia's broader military strategy, The Guardian reported.

The Guardian said the government has framed the carrier as a way to strengthen Indonesia's ability to secure its vast maritime territory and respond to natural disasters across the archipelago.

Further details on the terms of the transfer, the ship's operational readiness, and the specific concerns raised by critics were not immediately available.