As the Indonesian state weaponizes the stigma of "terrorism" to mask its failures of governance, a systematic campaign of criminalization is silencing public voices demanding accountability: a chilling descent into neo-authoritarianism revealing a regime that would rather trade democratic values for elite consolidation than address the people's economic grievances.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

While the world’s cameras were fixed on the billion-dollar debut of the Board of Peace, Jakarta was busy building a $38.4 billion economic foundation for Indonesia’s industrial future.

Gaza underground fortress is the physical face of asymmetric war, a conflict where the weaker side does not need to win.

Pandemics are coming faster and spreading more widely, threatening more lives and livelihoods than ever before.

Trade debates often begin with numbers. Yet global trade rarely turns on the numbers themselves. It turns on relative positioning.

The polls have ended the political uncertainty that had gripped the nation since the overthrow of the previous regime by a student-led uprising in 2024. Yet the challenges for the new government are daunting.

US rhetoric and policy signal a move from persuasion to deterrence, unsettling allies and heightening global strategic tensions.

Modern slavery is about an absence of choice: situations where workers lack the real freedom to stop working because of threats, coercion, deception or debt. 

A closer look at Israel’s internal dynamics reveals a surprising twist: The planned arrival of Indonesian troops is facing fierce opposition from hardline groups in Tel Aviv.

As Indonesia experiences a rare spiritual convergence in 2026, the overlapping seasons of Lent and Ramadan offer a powerful "spiritual laboratory" to transform individual faith into a shared national strength.

Whether it is the 40-day Lenten period of repentance leading to Easter, the month of Ramadan dedicated to the Quran and spiritual growth or the Lunar New Year’s focus on clearing out the old to welcome a fresh start, these traditions share profound themes of inner conversion and social responsibility.

In a world increasingly governed by the cynical logic of "might makes right," Indonesia is stepping forward to prove that visionary leadership and regional cooperation remain our most potent tools for reclaiming global peace.

Drawing on a rich tradition of wayang and cerita rakyat, Indonesia’s booming game industry is the new stage for local stories and values. 

The Foreign Ministry has drawn its red lines in Gaza, but until the government addresses the legal and financial shadows of the mandate, the case for Indonesia’s participation remains far from closed.

If conservation areas are administratively interpreted as “unproductive land”, Indonesia risks engineering a policy contradiction of its own making. 

Amid the unprecedented levels of hunger across the world and as members of the second-largest religious demographic in the world and at home, Indonesian Muslims have an obligation this Ramadan to not just fast as an end in and of itself, but also to share as a means of attaining takwa.

Thousands of people from Indonesia, China and Africa are waiting for help to return home, but the process has been slow and many are increasingly desperate.

Markets are asking Indonesia for predictable and coherent rules that distinguish temporary transition measures from long-lived assets that may face growing financing and refinancing challenges.

In the digital age, information chaos has real-world consequences, and Indonesia is fighting it handicapped.

Beyond the 5.39 percent headline, Indonesia’s economy is trapped in a cycle of "jobless growth" that prioritizes respectable statistics over stable careers.

Too often, emerging markets have relied on models proselytized by global development finance institutions without paying adequate attention to local institutional constraints.

While presented as a stabilizing force, experts argue the “hegemonic coalition” of the current administration narrows the system of checks and balances.