The current crisis is driven not by a single dispute but by the convergence of four fault lines: the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, the absence of a regional security architecture addressing missiles and proxy warfare, and the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Today’s risk begins upstream in global energy markets and flows through fertilizer production into the agricultural system, affecting not only current prices but also future harvests.

Often caught in the crossfire, Papuan women are pressured by separatist groups for food and shelter while their homes are simultaneously utilized by security forces. 

President Prabowo Subianto on Apr. 8 instructed the accelerated revocation of hundreds of “questionable” mining business permits (IUPs) within a one-week deadline, a move that raises concerns over rushed implementation. The directive comes in the aftermath of severe flooding in Sumatra in December, widely linked to environmental degradation exacerbated by natural resource extraction. While the policy could curb illegal mining and deforestation, its effectiveness will depend on follow-up actions and careful execution.

Last month, three intern doctors died within just 11 days from complications linked to dengue fever, anemia, and measles. While official reforms promise to protect medical interns, the tragic deaths reveal a system where "safety limits" exist only on paper.

Women pay the highest price because algorithms fail to recognize the realities of care work, safety concerns and social norms.

Indonesia’s deepening military ties with the United States represent a high-stakes balancing act between necessary defense modernization and the preservation of its foundational "free and active" sovereign identity.

We were taught that Kartini’s brilliance was a gift, but we rarely talk about the patriarchal strings attached to her platform. It’s time to stop performing in a show we never auditioned for and start building a self that doesn't require external permission to exist.

The global fallout from the United States-Israeli war against Iran war demonstrates once again that for investors, fossil fuels are not just another commodity exposure, but a geopolitical liability.

As Prabowo spreads his diplomatic wings and travels the world making deals to secure immediate, future and broader energy needs, the real issue at hand is whether the country's energy transition can take flight as part of a comprehensive strategy once he lands back in Jakarta.

Despite its resource endowment, Indonesia remains structurally dependent on imported fuel, particularly refined petroleum products sourced largely from regional hubs.

It is hard to conceive of a national political landscape without constant maneuvering among political parties, trying to shape its direction. Recent speculation over a potential unification of the NasDem Party and Gerindra Party has brought a recurring question to the forefront: Do parties function as institutional channels of representation, or have they become mere instruments of elite bargaining?

At a time when global leaders are shifting their priorities toward securing national interests amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, our President is fluttering from country to country drumming up cooperation deals instead of heeding his people's calls to come home and attend to domestic matters first.

Washington is quietly rewriting the rules of Indo-Pacific strategy by swapping formal alliances for deep technological integration. The new defense pact with Indonesia proves that in the age of AI and autonomous warfare, operational "plug-and-play" matters far more than a signed treaty.

The recent surge in violence at top Indonesian universities marks a critical erosion of the nation’s ethical fabric and a failure of institutional protection. By adopting the rigorous behavioral frameworks, Indonesia can transition from reactive outcry to a transformative, safe educational paradigm.

The persistent absence of an updated Military Court Law, one aligned with constitutional democracy to eliminate the isolated nature of military jurisdiction, is a glaring manifestation of a lack of political will. It reveals a weak commitment among policymakers to finalize the military reform agenda.

As the Iran crisis draws US attention back to West Asia, the Indo-Pacific faces a dangerous vacuum in leadership and deterrence. This strategic overstretch is forcing regional powers like Japan, Australia and India to abandon their reliance on Washington and seize control of their own security destinies.

The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) enacted a new provision setting the minimum free float requirement at 15 percent for both listed companies and prospective issuers, doubling the previous threshold of 7.5 percent. This change was made in response to concerns raised by MSCI regarding the low free float levels of Indonesian equities, which led the index to freeze Indonesia’s inclusion in its indices in February and March. These measures are being implemented to demonstrate regulatory compliance ahead of MSCI’s May index 2026 review.

Empowering women in agriculture isn’t just a matter of equity - it’s a trillion-dollar opportunity to transform global food security and climate resilience.

While often viewed as a public cost, Transjakarta is actually a massive economic driver generating three times its weight in national output. By shifting focus from fuel subsidies to transit integration, Indonesia can clear its skies and its balance sheets simultaneously.

A reported account of what transpired during the White House meeting that decided to launch attacks on Iran draws an uneasy parallel with Trump's former reality TV show.

In the world of oil, massive reserves mean nothing if a refinery can't digest the barrel. For Indonesia, the choice between Iranian and Venezuelan crude isn't a matter of geopolitics—it’s a test of technical compatibility and bottom-line survival.

As the traditional single hub model of the Islamic economy fractures, a new model of interconnected regional nodes is rising in its place. Indonesia stands at a critical crossroads: Will it remain a passive consumer market, or will it seize the moment to become a primary architect of this new global network?

Renewables haven't failed; they are surging. But unprecedented demand growth, including for powering data centers and AI, along with infrastructure lags, mineral risks and mounting waste, keep moving the goalposts of the energy transition.

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.