President Prabowo Subianto (right) on Feb. 19, shakes hands with United States President Donald Trump during the Board of Peace council summit at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. `

A trade pact that weakens Indonesia

What makes this agreement especially indefensible is not only its deeply asymmetrical substance but also its disastrous timing.

7 hours ago

Academia premium

Presidency for all: Indonesia’s human rights diplomacy

As Indonesia takes the helm of the UN Human Rights Council for the first time, we are championing a "Presidency for all" that bridges global divides and centers on human dignity. This historic leadership marks our commitment to proving that democratic resilience at home can drive principled, inclusive justice on the world stage.

9 hours ago

Academia premium

Indonesia’s online child safety needs more than an age rule

As Indonesia moves toward a March 2026 deadline for its new social media age restrictions, a "silver bullet" policy of age limits may prove ineffective without addressing deeper structural issues of platform accountability and digital privacy.

10 hours ago

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The ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta was inaugurated in August 2019 in conjunction with the 52nd anniversary of ASEAN.

Academia premium

In search of the first female ASEAN secretary-general

After 50 years and 15 male secretaries-general, the time has come for ASEAN to break its longest-standing glass ceiling. As Indonesia prepares to nominate the next chief, a historic opportunity emerges to prove that the region’s future is both inclusive and ready for female leadership at the very top.

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The Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian aircraft carrier, the first through-deck aviation ship ever built for the Italian Navy, is pictured on March 10, 2024, during the Nordic Response 24 military exercise at sea near Sorstraumen, above the Arctic Circle in Norway.

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Integrating the Giuseppe Garibaldi into Indonesia’s national defense

As Indonesia enters the 2025–2029 strategic planning cycle, the shifting geopolitical dynamics of the Indo-Pacific demand a transition from static territorial defense to a highly mobile, networked maritime posture. The integration of the ex-Italian Navy aircraft carrier cruiser, Giuseppe Garibaldi, into the Indonesian Military is a strategic necessity as the new platform can serve as a vital anti-submarine warfare (ASW) hub and mobile command node.

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President Prabowo Subianto (left) and United States President Donald Trump (right) show the signed trade deal documents in Washington, DC, on Feb. 19, 2026, as witnessed by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Academia premium

Is the Feb. 19 Indonesia–US trade deal fair?

The answer depends on what we mean by “fair”: short-term export survival, balanced reciprocity, or long-term policy autonomy.

14 hours ago

Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto (left) and United States President Donald Trump show the signed trade deal documents on Feb. 19 in Washington, US, as witnessed by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Indonesia and the US finalized a trade deal locking in tariff rates and non-tariff barriers to commerce.

Opinion premium

Analysis: Indonesia’s high-stakes trade bet with Washington nears its moment of truth

Uncertainty continues to surround Indonesia’s latest trade breakthrough as President Prabowo Subianto and United States President Donald Trump prepare to formalize the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) on Thursday, following their attendance at the first US-led Board of Peace meeting a day earlier. The framework unveiled in July 2025 sets a 19 percent tariff on Indonesian exports to the US market, a rate the Indonesian government portrays as a major diplomatic victory despite its magnitude. Yet it remains unclear whether the July framework represents the final terms to be signed or whether negotiations are still unfolding behind closed doors.

14 hours ago

President Prabowo Subianto (left) and United States President Donald Trump (right) hold up signed copies of the US-Indonesia Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on Feb. 19, 2026, as the deal’s witness US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer looks on during the signing ceremony in Washington, DC.

Editorial premium

insight

Insight: Securing a healthier future: The importance of Indonesia's plasma fractionation facility

The global health crisis brought on by COVID-19 tested healthcare systems worldwide, and Indonesia was no exception. As one of the world’s most populous nations, the nation faced immense challenges yet demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating the pandemic.

1 year ago

insight

Insight: Understanding sovereign wealth funds and their application in Indonesia

Toward the end of 2020, amid a world grappling with unprecedented challenges, Indonesia took a bold step in securing its economic future: establishing its first sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA).

1 year ago