RSIS and Laboratorium Indonesia 2045 (LAB 45) conducted an online workshop on Indonesia’s Defence and Security Outlook 2023. The workshop explored three inter-related topics: Military Operations other than War (MOOTW); Indonesia’s defence modernisation; and the role of the defence industry, and post-Minimum Essential Force (MEF) defence development.
Mr Andi Widjajanto, Governor of National Resilience Institute of the Republic of Indonesia (Lemhannas RI) delivered a keynote speech for the workshop. In his keynote speech, Mr Widjajanto cited the necessity for Indonesia to prepare itself against uncertain geopolitical dynamics in 2023. He mentioned that President Joko Widodo recently highlighted the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; the tension between China and Taiwan; national elections in major countries; global economic stability; and Indonesia’s domestic politics stability in the run up towards the 2024 General Elections as Jakarta’s global politics and security concerns.
The workshop was divided into two sessions. The first session discussed the Indonesian military (TNI)’s MOOTW role. The speakers for the first session were Major General Jonni Mahroza, Ph.D.; Vice Rector of Academic Affairs of Defence University of the Republic of Indonesia (UNHAN RI); and Dr Muhamad Haripin, Research Coordinator of Conflict, Security, Defence Studies at the Research Center for Politics of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The first session concluded that MOOTW activities will be intensified in the near future. In case of COVID-19 management, the Indonesian government involved TNI due to the urgency of the crisis as well as limited capability of civilian agencies in handling the pandemic.
The second session provided updates on the development of Indonesia’s arms modernisation and defence industry. Dr Yono Reksoprodjo, Head of Transfer of Technology and Offsets of the Defence Industry Policy Committee (KKIP) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence, and Dr Curie Maharani, lecturer at Bina Nusantara University were speakers for the second session. The discussion in the second session noted that the absence of a national defence industry grand strategy has undermined Indonesia’s strategic industry, notably amidst the on-going uncertain global dynamics.
