The “free and active” principle, which lies at the heart of Indonesian foreign policy, is taking a new direction under the current administration. Experts predicted that the country’s foreign policy would undergo significant changes under President Prabowo Subianto. The current administration was expected to adopt a more assertive foreign policy that promoted Indonesia’s presence internationally, shifting from former president Joko Widodo’s focus on domestic issues.
The annual policy statement by Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono, delivered on January 14, appropriately calls for a re-evaluation of the meaning of the longstanding “free and active” principle. Delivering the annual…