Sukarno era

After the proclamation of the independence of Indonesia on August 17, 1945, the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) immediately set up the first presidential cabinet which in the first cabinet didn't have a Minister of Defense. The function of the State Defense at that time was at the Minister of Public Security. On October 6, 1945, Supriyadi was declared Minister of Public Security. However, he never appeared, and on 20 October was replaced by interim minister Imam Muhammad Suliyoadikusumo.^[7]

During the time of the First Sjahrir Cabinet, the function of the state defense was also under the authority of the Minister of Public Security, held by Mr. Amir Sjarifoeddin. However, in the Second Sjahrir Cabinet, the People's Security Minister was renamed as the Minister of Defense who still remained in office was Amir Sjarifuddin. At the time of Mr. Amir Sjarifuddin became prime minister, the defense minister is held also by the prime minister. In the period of the First Hatta Cabinet, when the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia was in an emergency state due to the pressure of the Dutch forces, the Vice President Mohammad Hatta served as interim minister of defense.

New Order

In the First Development Cabinet, the Minister of Defense and Security was held by the Indonesian President Gen. Soeharto. Only later on the Second Development Cabinet and subsequently, the function of state defense was always united with the security function and was under the Ministry of Defense and Security where the Minister of Defense and Security would if needed serve concurrently as Commander of the Armed Forces (Panglima ABRI) (this was the case four times during Soeharto's presidency). In 1985, as part of a wide reorganization of the armed forces, military appointments to posts of ministers and below began to phased out, allowing retired officers and civilians to serve in the ministry and operational control over the Armed Forces was passed directly to the office of the President.

Reformation

On 1 July 2000, the Ministry of Defense reformed itself with the separation of the TNI and the Polri^[8] and also separated the positions in which the Minister of Defense can be of a civilian background, and can no longer concurrently serve as the TNI Commander (Panglima). Regulation through defense is regulated through Law no. 3 of 2002 on State Defense and Law no. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces.^[9][10] Law no. 3 of 2002 on State Defense Article 16 further stipulates the responsibilities of the Minister of Defense, as follows:^[9]

1. Minister leads the Ministry of Defense.
2. The Minister assists the President in formulating the general policy of state defense.
3. The Minister shall stipulate a policy on the implementation of state defense based on the general policy set by the President.
4. The Minister compiles the defense white paper and establishes bilateral, regional and international cooperation policies in its field.
5. The Minister formulates a general policy of using the power of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and other defense components.
6. The Minister shall determine the policy of budgeting, procurement, recruitment, management of national resources, as well as the development of technology and defense industries required by the Indonesian Armed Forces and other defense force components.
7. The minister works with the heads of ministries and other government agencies and develops and implements strategic planning for the management of national resources for defense purposes.

Pursuant to Article 18 Paragraph 4, the Commander of the National Armed Forces shall be responsible to the President in the use of the state defense component and cooperate with the Minister in meeting the needs of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.^[9]

Naming History

Previous nomenclatures and their time period were:

1. Department of People's Security (Departemen Keamanan Rakyat) (1945–1946)
2. Department of Defense (Departemen Pertahanan) (1946–1962, 1999–2009)
3. Department of Defense and Security (Departemen Pertahanan dan Keamanan) (1962–1999)

Leadership elements

• 

  The current Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Prabowo Subianto
  Minister of Defense (Menteri Pertahanan); and
• Deputy Minister of Defense (Wakil Menteri Pertahanan)

Secretariat

• Secretariat General (Sekretariat Jenderal), headed by a Secretary General, tasked with coordinating duties, organizational management, and providing administrative support for the entire Ministry. The Secretariat General is organized into the following bureaus:
  • Office of the Secretary General of Defense
  • Bureau of Planning and Finance
  • Bureau of Human Resources
  • Bureau of Legal Affairs
  • Bureau of Administrative Affairs and Protocols
  • Bureau of General Affairs
  • Bureau of Public Relations
  • Bureau of Organization and Organizational Governance
  • Bureau of Defense Legislation

Inspectorate

• Inspectorate General (Inspektorat Jenderal), headed by an Inspector General, tasked with internal monitoring within the Ministry. The Inspectorate General headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Secretariat of the Inspectorate-General;
  • Inspectorate I, overseeing Defense Planning, Defense Power, Defense Facilities, Education and Training, Strategic Defense Installations, Defense Worthiness, and western representative offices of the Ministry;
  • Inspectorate II, overseeing the Secretariat General, Defense Strategy, Defense Potential, Research and Development, Data and Information, Defense Finance, the Defense University, and eastern representative offices of the Ministry;
  • Inspectorate III, overseeing the finances of the Armed Forces Headquarters and the Air Force;
  • Inspectorate IV, overseeing the finances of the Army; and
  • Inspectorate V, overseeing the finances of the Navy, the Welfare, Education, and Housing Foundation (Yayasan Kesejahteraan Pendidikan dan Perumahan), and the Armed Forces insurance corporation.

Directorates-General

• Directorate General of Defense Strategy (Direktorat Jenderal Strategi Pertahanan), headed by a Director General, tasked with formulating and implementing Indonesian defense policy in the form of defense strategy of the state. The DG headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Secretariat of the Directorate General;
  • Directorate of Strategic Defense Policy;
  • Directorate of Defense Components Mobilization;
  • Directorate of Defense International Cooperation; and
  • Directorate of Regional Defense.
• Directorate General of Defense Planning (Direktorat Jenderal Perencanaan Pertahanan), headed by a Director General, tasked with formulating and implementing Indonesian defense policy in the form of development planning and financial management of state defense. The DG headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Secretariat of the Directorate General;
  • Directorate of Defense Development Planning;
  • Directorate of Defense Program and Budget Planning;
  • Directorate of Budget Implementation Administration, and
  • Directorate of Program and Budget Control.
• Directorate General of Defense Potential (Direktorat Jenderal Potensi Pertahanan), headed by a Director General, tasked with formulating and implementing Indonesian defense policy in the form of defense potentials. The DG headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Secretariat of the Directorate General;
  • Directorate of Civic Defense;
  • Directorate of Defense Resource;
  • Directorate of Defense Industry and Technology, and
  • Directorate of Veterans' Affairs.
• Directorate General of Defense Power (Direktorat Jenderal Kekuatan Pertahanan), headed by a Director General, tasked with formulating and implementing Indonesian defense policy in the form of defense power. The DG headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Secretariat of the Directorate General;
  • Directorate of Human Resources;
  • Directorate of Materials;
  • Directorate of Facilities and Services, and
  • Directorate of Health.

Agencies

• Defense Facilities Agency (Badan Sarana Pertahanan), headed by a chief, tasked with the management of defense facilities. The Agency headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Agency Secretariat;
  • Defense Equipment Center;
  • Construction Center;
  • Codification Center; and
  • State Property Center.
• Agency for Defense Policy and Technology Development (Badan Pengembangan Kebijakan dan Teknologi Pertahanan), headed by a chief, tasked with research and development in defense science and policy. The Agency headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Agency Secretariat;
  • Defense Strategy Research and Development Center;
  • Defense Resource Research and Development Center;
  • Defense Science and Technology Research and Development Center; and
  • Defense Equipment Research and Development Center.
• Defense Education and Training Agency (Badan Pendidikan dan Pelatihan), headed by a chief, tasked with implementing defense education and training. The Agency headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Agency Secretariat;
  • Defense Management Education and Training Center;
  • Defense Functionary Technical Education and Training Center; and
  • Civic Defense Education and Training Center;
• Defense Information and Communication Agency (Badan Informasi dan Komunikasi Pertahanan) formerly Strategic Defense Installation Agency (Badan Instalasi Strategis Pertahanan), headed by a chief, tasked with the management of strategic installations of strategic information system and defense communication system, as well performing cyber defense. The Agency headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Agency Secretariat;
  • Regional Management Center;
  • Cyber Defense Center; and
  • Strategic Defense Information Center

Advisors

• Advisor to the Minister on Political Affairs (Staf Ahli bidang Politik), advises the Minister on matter of political affairs
• Advisor to the Minister on Economic Affairs (Staf Ahli bidang Ekonomi), advises the Minister on matter of economic affairs
• Advisor to the Minister on Social Affairs (Staf Ahli bidang Sosial), advises the Minister on matter of social affairs
• Advisor to the Minister on Security Affairs (Staf Ahli bidang Keamanan), advises the Minister on matter of security affairs

Centers

• Defense Worthiness Center (Pusat Kelaikan), headed by a chief, tasked with providing support for the Ministry and other related agencies on design certification, product worthiness, and quality control and assurances. The Center headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Central Administration;
  • Indonesian Military Landworthiness Authority;
  • Indonesian Military Seaworthiness Authority;
  • Indonesian Military Airworthiness Authority; and
  • Functionary group
• Defense Data and Information Center (Pusat Data dan Informasi), headed by a chief, tasked with providing support for the Ministry and other related agencies on the development and management of defense information system, defense IT and communication infrastructure, defense information and cypher system security, as well as fostering the Ministry's IT and cypher functionaries. The Center headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Central Administration;
  • Defense Information System Development and Management Section;
  • IT and Communications Infrastructure Section;
  • Defense Information System and Cypher Security; and
  • Functionary group
• Defense Rehabilitation Center (Pusat Rehabilitasi), headed by a chief, tasked with providing support for the Ministry and other related agencies on medical rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, and hospitalization of veterans and wounded personnel of the Armed Forces. The Center headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Central Administration;
  • Medical Rehabilitation Section;
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Section;
  • Social Rehabilitation Section; and
  • Functionary group
• Defense Financial Monitoring and Management Center (Pusat Pelaporan dan Pembinaan Keuangan Pertahanan), headed by a chief, tasked with providing support for the Ministry and other related agencies on financial management and administration, as well as on defense resource utilization. The Center headed several subsections, as follows:
  • Central Administration;
  • Accounting and Financial Reporting Section;
  • Financial Administration Section;
  • Defense Financial Control Section; and
  • Functionary group