While the Truman-era linear model had its time and place, its underlying assumptions must be reassessed toward laying the groundwork for a more realistic policy approach in the context of today's more complex, asymmetric causal pathway between development and peace.

Indonesia’s largest state-owned construction firms – Wijaya Karya (Wika), Pembangunan Perumahan (PP), Adhi Karya (Adhi) and Waskita Karya (Waskita) – have sunk deeper into financial distress, posting a combined loss of around Rp 28 trillion (US$1.7 billion) in 2025. Far from incidental, these losses reflect years of aggressive and often unprofitable investments tied to the infrastructure push under former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, turning what was once a growth engine into a mounting financial burden.

Limited growth potential and informal structures often disqualify Indonesia’s small enterprises from external financing, as lenders perceive them as high-risk or unattractive clients.

India has officially entered the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power program.

As we look toward the Youth Pledge centennial in 2028, the government has an opportunity to reverse the current trend of clamping down on dissent and instead embrace youth voice through policies that engage the younger generation in active nation building.

To claim its rightful place in the global space race, Indonesia must bridge the gap between its unparalleled equatorial advantage and the legal vacuum stalling its national spaceport.

As the era of American hegemony comes to an end, the outlines of what may come next are coming into view.

While Indonesia’s tradition of consensus is celebrated as a cultural jewel, it is increasingly being weaponized to hollow out democratic dissent. The legacy of colonial mentality and elite cooptation has transformed "deliberation" into a tool for maintaining a fragile, uncontested status quo.

of its plan to deliver 3 million homes, the government is partnering with state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) and PT Astra International to build 1,000 low-cost flats on KAI-owned land in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, financed through Astra’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme. While the model appears efficient, it raises a key question: Is this a sustainable solution to Indonesia’s housing shortage, or merely a stopgap that masks deeper structural gaps and potential quid pro quo dynamics?

From "free and active" to a silent subordinate: Prabowo’s recent concessions to Washington signal a dangerous erosion of Indonesian sovereignty.

Those most exposed to energy market disruption share a set of structural characteristics: heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, limited fiscal space and constrained energy systems that make it difficult to switch to alternatives quickly.

The pattern repeats: when political escalation occurs, Hormuz becomes a bargaining chip.

Distributing food isn't always the solution to stunting in Indonesia; it is also about investing in community health workers so as to formalize and elevate an existing system that forms the backbone of maternal and child care in the remotest regions.

After a geopolitical shock and a transparency crisis, the Indonesian stock market is undergoing a painful but necessary evolution toward global standards.

Indonesia’s response to the 2026 oil shock is technically sound but narratively broken, leaving sound fiscal moves overshadowed by visible costs. To bridge this gap, the government must move beyond policy design and master the art of transparent, integrated communication to reclaim its credibility.

If Indonesia approves new military overflight arrangements with the United States, it will face a high-stakes balancing act between strategic partnership and national autonomy. In an era of shifting global power, control of Indonesia’s skies must remain a matter of substance, not just symbolism.

Over the past two weeks, the government has begun overseeing the implementation of Communications and Digital Ministerial Regulation No. 9/2026. The policy reflects a national push to strengthen protections for children, though concerns have emerged regarding its effectiveness and its potential impact on children’s access to information and freedom of expression.

As a "Godzilla-like" El Niño looms, Indonesia must move beyond complacency and apply the lessons of history to protect its food security and its future.

US President Donald Trump returns to weary and failing playbook with Hormuz blockade threat

Beyond the national slogan lays a primal human reflex that treats difference as a threat; to truly protect religious freedom in Indonesia, we must look past the pulpit and address the biological machinery of fear that governs us all.

Despite calls for mediation, the grouping of so-called Global South nations has remained fragmented, highlighting its role as a "club" akin to the G7 rather than a forum for collective action.

Markets must grapple with both the immediate threat of higher inflation from geopolitical tensions and conflagrations, as well as the longer-term risk of AI-driven deflation.

As the case of the Strait of Hormuz in the Iran war illustrates amid escalating global tensions, Indonesia can no longer afford to be the sole guardian of the world’s most dangerous maritime choke points: It’s time for user states to pay their fair share.

Rather than a threat to stability, opposition is the very condition necessary for stability and the key ingredient of a thriving democracy.

The administration of President Prabowo Subianto plans to add another state-backed business line for Red and White Cooperatives (KMP) in the form of low-interest lending as part of ongoing efforts to combat predatory and illegal loans. However, the high-risk and heavily regulated nature of the financing business could strain the cooperatives’ already limited repayment capacity and even threaten their survival. As such, the plan risks squandering a significant portion of the Village Fund, which has effectively been pledged as collateral for Red and White Village Cooperatives (KDMP) debt.

For the sake of both national integrity and humanity, the Attorney General’s Office should proceed with the necessary investigations to bring the act of genocide case involving the Myanmar junta leader before an Indonesian court. 

As geopolitical tensions rise between Washington and Brussels, US companies are increasingly exposed to reputational and regulatory risk in Europe. This shift has consequences for global trade and open economies, including in Asia.