Editors’ note: This piece was originally published in November 2019; we are republishing it in light of the Indonesian parliament’s passing of key legislation for the creation of the new capital and President Joko Widodo’s …
Articles by: "Evan Laksmana"
Since it was announced in August, Indonesia’s plan to relocate its capital to East Kalimantan in Borneo has engendered much debate, but few have examined the potential military and strategic implications of the move. The …
In early January, Indonesian finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati inaugurated the new Tawiri Ambon naval base near Ambon Bay with direct access to the Banda Sea. The base will support the navy’s major warships and …
Earlier this month, Islamist groups held a major rally in Jakarta to call on Muslims to shun political parties and candidates that had backed the now-imprisoned former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama, or Ahok. The …
Indonesia and Australia were supposed to sign their long-awaited bilateral free-trade agreement last week at the East Asia Summit in Singapore. But the deal has apparently been put on hold. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said …
In late August, Indonesia and Australia signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership agreement during Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s visit to Jakarta. The document provides a new long-term framework for the bilateral relationship as part of …
Last week was a bloody week for Indonesia. First there was a prison riot on 8 May at the command headquarters of the Indonesian police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob), where over a hundred convicted terrorists held a …
By all accounts, the ASEAN–Australia summit was a success. The Sydney Declaration complemented the existing 2015–2019 Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN–Australia Strategic Partnership. These documents give a long list of policy issues both …
Last month, at the ASEAN summit in India, Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo laid out Indonesia’s vision for a ‘stable, peaceful and prosperous’ Indo-Pacific. He said that Indonesia wants an ‘Indo-Pacific regional architecture’ based on the …
Does Indonesia pose a strategic risk for Australia? The answer might be ‘no’ if one looks at the recently released Australian foreign policy white paper. It argues that Indonesia—along with Japan, India and South Korea—is …
Last weekend, Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto became the new Indonesian military (TNI) commander. It was one of the fastest confirmation processes in recent memory—Tjahjanto was nominated by President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on 4 December and …
The 31st ASEAN Summit and its related meetings, including the East Asia Summit, start today and will run through 14 November. Lost in the hoopla over Trump’s attendance and the ongoing tension in the Korean …