Prabowo Reaffirms Indonesia's Non-Aligned Status

President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed that Indonesia will not join any military alliance. This position, he stated, forms part of Indonesia’s consistent free and active foreign policy, which has long been the foundation of the nation’s diplomacy.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Prabowo declared that Indonesia chooses to maintain distance from military power blocs whilst continuing to play a role in global peace efforts.

“We cannot be part of any military alliance,” Prabowo said on Monday, 16 March.

He explained that this principle also relates to efforts to preserve national independence. According to him, Indonesia must be able to stand on its own strength, including in defence matters.

“When something happens, we cannot depend on anyone,” Prabowo stated.

Whilst reaffirming Indonesia’s non-aligned stance, Prabowo said Indonesia maintains good relations with neighbouring countries and various international partners. Indonesia’s military posture, he noted, is defensive in nature and not directed towards expansion.

Prabowo also addressed Indonesia’s involvement in the Board of Peace (BoP), initiated by the United States. He reaffirmed that Indonesia’s participation is driven by diplomatic interests, particularly in promoting Palestinian independence through a two-state solution.

“If we are within it (BoP), we can still influence and work towards a long-term solution, which we believe is Palestinian independence, a two-state solution,” he explained.

However, plans to send Indonesian peacekeeping troops to Gaza have currently been postponed. The government has suspended discussions regarding the BoP owing to escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Amid global tensions, Prabowo also offered Indonesia as a mediator in the conflict between the United States and Iran. According to him, this conflict has created uncertainty with wide-ranging impacts for many nations.

“My suggestion is always to seek peaceful options,” he concluded.