Sailing between Reefs: Balancing Indonesia’s Maritime Security Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

Located in one of the most strategic international sea trade regions of the Malacca Strait, Indonesia has actively increased its maritime capacity by cooperating with Southeast Asian states and other major maritime powers such as the United States (US), Europe, and China. With growing geopolitical tensions of the Indo-Pacific region, Indonesia has consistently reiterated its neutral position, including to maintain a similar position in ASEAN. These neutral positions, therefore, have posed challenges and opportunities for Indonesia in the maritime sector. On the one hand, Indonesia has the freedom to conduct cooperation and exercise with all relevant parties simultaneously any cooperation that can benefit Indonesia’s interest. On the other hand, Indonesia must simultaneously balance such cooperation(s) so that Indonesia would not be considered as leaning more towards either side. This special report, therefore, analyze Indonesia’s maritime cooperation with both countries (the US and China) and how Indonesia is maintaining its free and active foreign policy as well as centrality and neutral position amidst the rivalry.