Long before assuming the presidency, Prabowo Subianto cultivated a reputation as a champion of a more assertive, muscular Indonesian posture on the world stage. Standing on the stage to deliver his inauguration address before the People’s Consultative Assembly in Jakarta in October 2024, he reaffirmed his commitment to Indonesia’s traditional “free and active” (bebas dan aktif(Opens in new window)) foreign policy, vowing to elevate the nation’s standing while resisting being pressured or pushed around by stronger states.
Indonesia, Prabowo declared, would chart its own course on its own terms.
Nearly two years into his presidency, the “active” dimension of Prabowo’s posture is undeniable, bordering on what some describe as diplomatically “hyperactive” (hiperaktif(Opens in new window)). Since taking office in late 2024, he has visited nearly 30 countries, rivalling the travel volume of his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, over nearly a decade in power. Eager to project Jakarta as a leading powerbroker, Prabowo has touted himself as an aspiring mediator in conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza to Iran, steered Indonesia into BRICS membership, and maintained a constant presence across multilateral summits.