Indonesia’s has made its ambition to become a ‘bridge builder’ between competing nations has known on the international stage. But in practice, Jakarta has become overstretched and unable to meaningfully contribute to addressing conflicts beyond its borders. Leveraging ASEAN could be the key to Indonesia’s bridge-builder ambitions, allowing Indonesia to compensate for its shortfalls in legitimacy, diplomatic support and resources.
Indonesia has long identified itself as a ‘middle power’ that, among other attributes, actively seeks a mediating role by facilitating dialogue and building coalitions with like-minded partners. Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia has been promoting its middle power role as a ‘bridge builder’ — a country that seeks to avoid rigid alignment and contribute to mediating conflicts within, among and between the Global North and the Global South countries.
The Indonesian leadership see the escalating geopolitical and geoeconomic rivalry between countries as an opportunity to showcase its status as a middle power. As the newest full member of BRICS at the 2025 BRICS Summit, Prabowo declared Indonesia’s role as a bridge builder on the international stage. Prabowo reiterated this commitment in his debut speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.
