This statement reaffirmed Indonesia’s constitutional mandate: “to participate in the establishment of a world order based on freedom, perpetual peace and social justice.” Under the leadership of Prabowo, Indonesia is poised to be a guardian of world peace.

Indonesia is already one of the world’s top contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions. Amid today’s uncertain global geopolitical and economic conditions, President Prabowo’s commitment marks a significant leap in both scale and symbolism. It reflects not only a foreign policy pledge but also a moral commitment, demonstrating Indonesia’s readiness to play a more proactive role in securing global peace.

The offer to deploy 20,000 personnel is one of the largest commitments in recent history, underscoring Indonesia’s willingness to move beyond the traditional confines of nonalignment toward a more active role in global security.

For Prabowo, long seen as a defense modernizer – revitalizing dormant vessels, strengthening logistics and upgrading defense readiness – this initiative adds a moral dimension to his leadership. The message is clear: Indonesia’s strength is not only measured by its military capacity but also by its commitment to peace.

While the Indonesian Military (TNI) is naturally at the forefront of Indonesia’s peacekeeping identity, it is crucial to recognize that the National Police also play a significant role.

Today’s global conflicts involve not only state-to-state actors but also clashes among civil groups within a country, and civil wars.

This is where peacekeeping operations have shifted from traditional missions emphasizing military roles to multidimensional missions that require the involvement of the police. 

Through the UN’s Formed Police Units (FPU) and Individual Police Officers (IPO), the National Police has participated in at least 21 missions across 19 countries since 1989. This participation complements the military by providing civilian policing, rule-of-law enforcement and community engagement – essential elements in a peacebuilding mission. By integrating both the TNI and the National Police, Indonesia can project a holistic contribution to global peace efforts.

For the TNI, peacekeeping offers real-world training in multinational operations, advanced logistics and conflict resolution. For the National Police, missions sharpen their capacity in crowd management, human rights enforcement and cross-cultural communication.

Both institutions bring lessons home, raising their professionalism and credibility. Peacekeeping is thus not a drain on resources, but an investment in human capital, human rights-based governance and institutional excellence.

Indonesia’s peacekeeping offer is anchored in idealism – fidelity to its constitutional promise. Yet it is also realpolitik. Contributing visibly to global stability strengthens Indonesia’s diplomatic standing, earns goodwill and enhances leverage in international negotiations. 

For President Prabowo, the strategy has dual benefits: consolidating his domestic image as a defender of sovereignty and projecting Indonesia internationally as a credible peace provider.

In an era marked by geopolitical uncertainty, Indonesia’s message resonates: “TNI will be there when peace needs guardians.” It is a vision that unites moral conviction with strategic ambition. 

By deploying both soldiers and police to safeguard global peace, Indonesia is not only protecting others but also refining itself – as a nation, as a democracy and as a trusted guardian of peace in the world.

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The writer is a history professor and member of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University. The views expressed are personal.