The hegemonic pretensions of powerful states, the weaponization of interdependence, and the erosion of shared norms all confirm that old certainties have dissolved.

Rethinking the LPDP return requirement isn't just bureaucratic housekeeping - it's about whether Indonesia wants to lead on the world stage or stay home.

For greater durability, Jakarta needs to explore pathways toward a more institutionalized trade framework with Washington, while preparing a US+1 contingency strategy and articulating a clearer vision of its role within the evolving international economic order.

President Prabowo Subianto may be projecting himself globally and at home as a leader who is tough on corruption, not just in words but also in actions, with several high-profile corruption cases in his first year in office. But the business community is not impressed, and has even given the thumbs down to his overall anti-graft campaign.

While the government funds "elite" schools and free meals, the 237,000 "honorary" teachers who form the backbone of the nation are being left behind in a growing gap of privilege and pay.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Though the Supreme Court's ruling against Trump's sweeping tariffs has left Jakarta with less clarity regarding the newly signed US-Indonesia ART, it has at least opened a door to the possibility of reworking the deal so its terms are fairer.

German Ambassador to Indonesia, Ralf Beste, speaks about how Indonesia fits into European strategic thinking, and how nations with differing values can still cooperate through shared interests.

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.

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. 

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.

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

Following the resignation of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) chairman and deputy chairman, the government has formed a selection committee to seek the best candidates to lead the OJK and restore investor confidence after market turmoil triggered by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI)’s interim freeze of its February review of Indonesian stocks. The pressing question is whether any candidate will be capable of rebuilding market trust.

Sending our brave soldiers to Gaza could put them in harm’s way given the still fluid and tense situation there. 

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.