Indonesia’s incoming president has sent a blunt message to the Australian prime minster, Tony Abbott, about asylum seeker boat turnbacks.

The president-elect, Joko Widodo, has told Fairfax Media that it’s not acceptable to Indonesia for the Australian navy to enter its waters uninvited.

Widodo said Australia and Indonesia had similar strategic interests but he promised a tough approach to issues of sovereignty.

The former Jakarta governor detailed plans for closer ties, including through military and intelligence links. But he said he would be “stronger” on sovereignty than his defeated election opponent, Prabowo Subianto.

Joko mentioned concerns about Australia’s asylum seeker policies and told Australia not to allow naval vessels to enter Indonesian waters without permission. This happened on five occasions last year.

“We will give a warning that this is not acceptable,” he told Fairfax Media. “We have international law, you must respect international law.”

Bilateral relations were damaged by revelations of Australia’s naval incursions and its spies tapping the phone of the wife of the outgoing president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

But Joko said he would rebuild security ties, including cooperation to combat terrorism.