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View all search resultsAnalysis: Costly diplomacy: Prabowo's overseas trips under scrutiny
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President Prabowo Subianto disembarks presidential aircraft Indonesia One at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta on April 1, 2026, after completing his four-day tour to Japan and South Korea. (Courtesy of Presidential Secretariat/Cahyo)
T
he more than 50 overseas trips President Prabowo Subianto has taken during less than two years in office have increasingly drawn public skepticism. Critics question whether the frequency of these trips aligns with genuine diplomatic priorities and the administration's stated commitment to fiscal efficiency. Thus far, the government's defense has been less than satisfying.
On June 1, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya addressed the mounting censure, saying in a video statement that any expenses exceeding official state budget allocations were personally covered by the President. Teddy also emphasized that strict cost-efficiency measures had been implemented, including cutting the size of the presidential entourage roughly in half compared to previous administrations.
However, his statement also included a pointed rebuttal aimed at Dino Patti Djalal, the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) who previously served as deputy foreign minister and ambassador to the United States. Days earlier via Instagram on May 30, Dino questioned the frequency of Prabowo’s trips and suggested teleconferencing or delegating certain engagements to Foreign Minister Sugiono as viable alternatives.
This is merely the latest flash point in a broader debate over presidential trips that has been simmering for months. Earlier this year, public scrutiny focused on Prabowo’s alleged use of multiple state aircraft for foreign trips. This prompted Teddy to clarify on Feb. 3 that reports of the President utilizing two state planes at the same time were inaccurate, against insisting that the size of his entourage had been significantly reduced.
While international diplomacy is an essential tool of statecraft, public apprehension is not necessarily directed at the idea of foreign trips but rather at their scale, timing and measurable outcomes. Three core issues drive these concerns.
First, the sheer frequency of the President’s overseas trips stands out against historical precedents. Dino estimated that Prabowo had spent roughly one out of every six days abroad since assuming office in October 2024. In actual numbers, the President has made more than 50 overseas trips, including seven in late 2024, beginning with a state visit to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping, 34 in 2025 and around eight in the first half of this year, the most recent a trip to Paris from May 26 to 29.
A politician from Prabowo’s Gerindra Party even said the President had planned to extend the most recent journey to Austria and Hungary, but the President’s office has denied this. Nevertheless, the relentless pace of his overseas trips invites a question about return on investment.
