Students stand at the ready in a barracks on May 5 while undergoing character and discipline training at a military education center in West Bandung regency, West Java. At the center, hundreds of students from various regions across West Java who have been involved in street brawls and motorbike gangs, or who are addicted to online games, undergo intensive training led by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel for at least 14 days.

The erosion of civil supremacy: A quiet shift in Indonesia’s statecraft

We are witnessing the normalization of both emergency governance and militarization, which are fundamentally at odds with democratic accountability and meritocracy.

4 weeks ago

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Indonesia-Australia ties: Time to turn trust surplus into tangible gains

Amid the global shocks and turmoil of today, Indonesia and Australia have signaled a shift in their relationship to one based on democratic values, trust and trade, heralding a true partnership between equals with the potential to bring stability to the Indo-Pacific. ...

4 weeks ago

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China must not fear fiscal expansion

If China is to achieve its growth target for 2025, things must change. ...

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Risks and rewards of a US-ASEAN special summit

Washington must avoid imposing its technology standards or demanding that ASEAN countries exclusively align with the US.

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Illustration of servers in a data center.

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Can ASEAN build a sustainable data center future?

Despite the rapid spread of the digital economy, the ASEAN legal and regulatory frameworks are still stuck in a pre-digital past.

4 weeks ago

Elementary school students participate in a coloring contest at a literacy festival and book fair held in Padalarang, West Bandung Regency, on Feb. 18.

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Sekolah Rakyat: A path to equity, if ministries align

With smarter coordination, Sekolah Rakyat can shine as a model of equity.

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Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aung Kyaw Moe, Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, President Prabowo Subianto and East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (from left to right) pose for a group photo on May 26 during the plenary session at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

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Does Indonesia prosper if ASEAN prospers?

As the largest economy in Southeast Asia and de-facto leader of ASEAN, do we stand to benefit from a more prosperous ASEAN?

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A woman from the Collective of Indonesian Trade Unions (GSBI) holds a poster calling for the revocation of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation on March 9, 2020, during a protest in front of the national legislature in Senayan, Jakarta.

Academia

Southeast Asia remains unfriendly for women in politics

A recent report exposing the growing violence targeting woman parliamentarians in Southeast Asia serves as a clarion call to create a regional protection initiative for lawmakers at risk, as well as facilitate their inclusion and empower their voices toward gender equality in politics: a fundamental principle of democracy.

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Rows of stacked containers wait to be transported on May 22, 2024, at Tanjung Perak Port in Semarang, Central Java.

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ASEAN needs to call an RCEP leaders' summit

In today's rapidly shifting geo-economic landscape, ASEAN needs to take the lead by convening a leaders' summit of RCEP member countries to upgrade the agreement toward fully realizing its potential in upholding multilateralism via a collective front.

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Representations of cryptocurrency Bitcoin are seen in this illustration photo taken on Nov. 25, 2024.

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Is effective crypto regulation finally coming?

The US may finally be nearing meaningful crypto regulation amid shifting politics and global pressure.

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A taxpayer takes a picture of the guideline for requesting online taxation services on Nov. 20, 2023, at a counter at the Kebayoran Baru 1 branch of the tax office in South Jakarta.

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Tax office needs bigger resources to increase tax collection

While Indonesia has segmented its tax offices and embraced digital tools, the bureaucracy still lacks the agility to navigate the informal economy.

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Strategic training: Indonesian Military personnel rappel from the Indonesian Air Force H-225 M Caracal helicopter on Sept. 6, 2024, during the Super Garuda Shield 2024 joint military exercise including Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, in Situbondo, East Java.

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US-China rivalry requires Indonesia to review defense posture

Given the inherent demand for highly compatible and interoperable weaponry systems, the TNI should prioritize exploring acquisitions from a single nation to streamline integration.

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A Harimau medium tank made by state-owned land weapons maker PT Pindad (right) is parked next to Pandur II 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024.

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A 5 percent defense trap: Indonesia’s path to strategic balance

Indonesia should pursue a balanced 2-3 percent GDP defense budget, leveraging quantum technology and strategic partnerships to strengthen its security, preserve its economy and maintain its non-aligned stance.

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A farmer works in a rice paddy on June 28, 2024, in Lambaro district, Aceh.

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Indonesia needs smarter farming, not more farmers

The country must continue to invest in technology, infrastructure, agronomic education and value chain integration.

1 month ago

A barista prepares a beverage on Sept. 19, 2024, as a customer uses a smartphone to scan a Quick Response Indonesia Standard (QRIS) code to make a digital payment at SK Coffee Lab, a café in Kediri, East Java.

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US labels QRIS a trade barrier, what’s next for Indonesia’s digital payment system?

QRIS has become the king of digital payment channels for local transactions. Visa–Mastercard’s position remains dominant for cross-border payments.

1 month ago

Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno (fourth right) inspects the Skydeck of the Transjakarta bus stop at the HI Roundabout on Feb. 25 in Central Jakarta.

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The climate challenge as a development opportunity

Even if policymakers in developing countries see little value in pursuing large emissions reductions at the pace that climate advocates would like, climate-aligned development is still the best path forward.

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Multilateral meeting: President Prabowo Subianto attends the plenary session of the 46th ASEAN Summit on May 26 in Kuala Lumpur.

Academia

Are hegemonies a relic of the past?

From Athens to the British Empire and on to the US, dominant powers have used might and consent to exert influence.

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AI curriculum amid digital divide in Indonesia

Indonesia has relatively low levels of digital literacy among its population.

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Indonesian flavor: Starting as a catering business in 2010, Djawa opened its doors in 2012 and has since expanded to five locations in the Paris city center.

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Celebrating Indonesia and France's shared gastronomic history

Indonesia can draw lessons from France regarding the management of food resources as ingredients to enhance the global perception of Indonesian gastronomy.

1 month ago

President Prabowo Subianto (right) drives a golf cart with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after a joint press conference at the State Palace in Jakarta on May 15, 2025.

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Why Albanese’s visit keeps Indonesia guessing

The Prabowo-Albanese partnership has the potential to inspire the development of a coordinated mechanism for the rapid deployment of combined forces in times of need, such as the December 2004 tsunami.

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Chain of strength: Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aung Kyaw Moe, Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, President Prabowo Subianto and East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (from left to right) pose for a group photo on May 26 during the plenary session at the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

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ASEAN’s strategic tightrope: Staying non-aligned amid rising US-China tensions

ASEAN urgently needs to build its strategic autonomy so the region will not become a proxy to any great power.

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ASEAN leaders, including President Prabowo Subianto (seated, center rear), attend a plenary session on May 26, 2025, during the regional grouping’s 46th summit in Kuala Lumpur.

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ASEAN Vision 2045: New ambition without urgency?

While more expansive and forward-looking than Vision 2025, ASEAN's latest vision document still treads the well-worn path of consensus without an alternative mechanism for when consensus fails or the institutional reforms necessary for implementation and enforcement.

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A worker uses a container lift truck on Sept. 17, 2024, at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.

Academia

Tariff shock waves: Indonesia’s export strategy under fire

Indonesia must reassess its nontariff measures to address US concerns while ensuring fair trade practices and maintaining economic stability.

1 month ago

A coal-fired power plant is seen on July 4, 2024, along the north coast of Jakarta.

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Toward equitable growth and responsible business conduct

Indonesia has no legally binding framework like the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to ensure responsible business practices.

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A member of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) stands guard on May 9, 2025, at the India-Pakistan border post in Wagah, around 35 kilometers from Amritsar, Punjab state.

Academia

Pakistan at the crossroads: Restraint or nuclear weapons

Following India's strikes in response to the Pahalgam massacre last month, Pakistan stands at the precipice of a strategic decision that will likely define its existence, present and future, in South Asia’s fragile security landscape.

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A ‘bissu’ (second left), a type of holy man or shaman in the Bugis culture, takes part in the Mappalili ceremony on Nov. 16, 2022, paying tribute to the rice goddess to mark the start of the harvest season in Pangkajene, South Sulawesi.

Academia

No land, no future: The dilemma facing rural youth

The government can do much in rural reform and revitalization to help the country's youth pursue their aspirations, whether they choose to contribute to agricultural and tourism development in villages, open entrepreneurial ventures or pursue advanced education to build better futures.

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A worker arranges pufferfish skins to dry at a small enterprise site in Banda Aceh on Nov. 4 2024. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry reported that Indonesia experienced a surplus in its fisheries trade balance from January to September 2024 amounting to US$3.87 billion, which represents a 7.2 percent increase compared with the same period in 2023.

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Blue diplomacy: Charting a sustainable ocean for the blue economy

By forging common rules and investing in ocean stewardship, the world can unlock the blue economy's full potential, securing prosperity and equity while keeping our seas healthy.

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President Prabowo Subianto attends the plenary session at the 46th ASEAN Summit on May 26 in Kuala Lumpur.

Academia

ASEAN and Indonesia under Prabowo

Now that President Prabowo Subianto has made his debut at the ASEAN summit this week, we in Indonesia and the world can dispel concerns that he does not care so much about the regional grouping.

1 month ago

Blocking terror: The steeple of Makassar Cathedral rises behind a police cordon on an access road in South Sulawesi’s provincial capital on March 28, 2021, following a suicide bomb attack allegedly carried out by terror group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah.

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Cyberterrorism: The new face of extremism targeting youth

In 2023, 96.9 percent of terrorism-related arrests involved individuals of productive age (18–55 years old), with 11.9 percent falling within the young adult bracket of 18–27 years old, according to BNPT.

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China's Premier Li Qiang (left) walks with Investment and Downstream Minister Rosan Roeslani upon Li's arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta on May 24, 2025.

Academia

Indonesia and China redefine regional ties

If Indonesia can ensure that its cooperation includes not just capital, but skills and innovation, then this phase of Sino-Indonesian partnership could prove transformative.

1 month ago

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