State Visit to France Seen as Strategic Move, Highlighting Potential Benefits
JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to France in May 2026 should not be viewed as a mere diplomatic agenda. According to Azis Subekti, a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Gerindra Party, the visit is part of Indonesia’s strategic move to position itself within the global economic and security architecture currently being shaped in the Indo-Pacific.
“History often moves unnoticed while events are unfolding. What appears to be just ceremonies, bilateral meetings, or the signing of documents is only recognised decades later when the world realises that is where the direction of change began,” Azis Subimento told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday (3/6/2026).
Azis cited various historical global moments that were not immediately understood as civilisational turning points at the time, ranging from the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, which established the post-World War II global economic order, to the European integration process in the 1950s that eventually evolved into the European Union.
He argued that President Prabowo’s visit to Paris should be interpreted through the same lens: as part of Indonesia’s effort to take on a larger role in the changing global landscape. According to him, the world is currently at one of its most critical turning points since the end of the Cold War, as the centre of economic gravity shifts towards Asia, technological competition becomes a decisive factor in national power, and the Indo-Pacific becomes the hub of global trade activity.
“In such a situation, Indonesia must not merely be a spectator,” he stated.
Azis emphasised that Indonesia now holds an increasingly strategic position globally. With a population exceeding 280 million, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, a geographical location connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and abundant strategic mineral reserves, Indonesia is deemed to possess strong capital to become a key actor in the region. Consequently, he noted, the diplomacy conducted by President Prabowo demonstrates a clear direction: expanding partnerships with various global powers without becoming trapped within a specific bloc.