Abstract

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) was in the process of modernising its force structure under the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) programme, which envisioned the military enhancing its external deterrence capabilities without the expansion of its force structure by 2024. Nonetheless, the devastating socioeconomic impact of the pandemic has 1) hurt economic growth and reduced available government revenues needed to fund military modernisation, and 2) accelerated trends relating to the expansion of the TNI’s non-military ambit. These two developments have the potential to derail the objectives of the MEF programme. This webinar is a timely attempt to examine the current progress of military reform and modernisation in Indonesia according to the MEF blueprint and the expansion of TNI’s role beyond its primary responsibility of external defence. Amidst the pandemic situation, this webinar allows us to evaluate the current status of TNI reform and modernisation as well as the security challenges that the military might face in the near future.

About the Speakers

Rodon Pedrason is the Director-General of Defence Strategy, Ministry of Defence, Republic of Indonesia. Maj. Gen. Rodon Pedrason previously served as Detachment Commander of the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres) Group B and C, Director of the War Studies Programme at Indonesia’s Defence University (Unhan), and Governor of the National Intelligence College (STIN). He holds a Master’s degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the University of Hull. Maj. Gen. Rodon obtained his PhD in Political Science in 2015 from Heidelberg University. He wrote a dissertation entitled ASEAN’s Defence Diplomacy: The Road to Southeast Asian Defence Community? In addition, Maj. Gen. Rodon received the UN Medal from the United Nations for his participation in peacekeeping operations in Congo in 2001. The Indonesian government has acknowledged his dedication and service to the state by awarding him Satyalancana Wira Karya (Role Model) and Satyalancana Wira Siaga (Presidential Guard) medals following his duty in thePresidential Security Force in 2017.

Shiskha Prabawaningtyas is the Director of the Graduate School of Diplomacy, Paramadina University, Jakarta. She finished her Bachelor’s degree majoring in International Relations (S.IP) from the University of Parahyangan in 2000. During her stint as the project coordinator, she developed and implemented several programmes on civil-military relations and conflict management at the Indonesian Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies (LESPERSSI) from 2001 to 2005. In 2006, she joined Cordaid in the Hague as an intern and served as the project assessor for a partner project in the Peace and Conflict Department for the Asia Desk. She obtained her Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Leiden, Netherlands in 2007 after writing a thesis entitled Peace Building in Mindanao: Spoiler Problem and Inter Communal Conflict. She joined Paramadina University as a lecturer in the Department of International Relations in February 2008. In 2015, she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy from the Institute for Asian and African Studies at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. Her doctoral research focused on problems of maritime boundaries and transboundary fishing in the Arafura and Timor Maritime Zone. Her research interests include issues surrounding national borders and boundaries, identity and security, diplomacy and foreign policy, and conflict management and resolution.