This study provides an assessment of Indonesia’s relations with the United States and China, with a particular focus on security-related ties. Executive summary A country on the rise, Indonesia upholds a flexible foreign policy that allows it to productively engage with both the United States and China. Indonesian strategic thinking is dominated by the rise...

Australia should not interpret the likelihood of continuity in Indonesia’s international standing and orientation as justifying a status quo approach to bilateral ties. Abstract Joko Widodo’s election in 2014 as Indonesia’s seventh president reflects a mood of change from Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Indonesia. On the campaign trail, Widodo addressed this mood for change with a...

Indonesia is unlikely to become a significantly influential international actor in the medium term, despite its size, strategic location and economic potential. Key findings: Indonesia’s influence in international affairs is growing, but it will not become a major power in the short to medium term. Facing public pressure to exert influence globally, Indonesia will pursue...