Indonesia eyes investment boost from UAE after leaders’ meeting

JAKARTA: Indonesia is expecting more investments from the UAE, the Indonesian government said on Friday following talks between President Prabowo Subianto and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Indonesia’s relations with the UAE grew under former President Joko Widodo, who in 2021 secured more than $46 billion investment commitment from the Gulf state. […]

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Why Indonesia’s Muslim groups are revisiting Palestinian issue, ‘Board of Peace’

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisations appear to be recalibrating their stance on Palestine by softening earlier criticisms of President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, in what analysts describe as a shift from prioritising Palestinian independence to broader security issues. The adjustment, which followed a closed-door […]

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Inside Indonesia’s inner circle: Hashim Djojohadikusumo on his brother Prabowo’s vision

By Zuraidah IbrahimandKolette Lim Hashim Djojohadikusumo is smiling almost beatifically, but the trademark feistiness is unmistakable. We are sitting down for a chat amid the turmoil gripping Indonesia’s capital markets and he says emphatically that “it’s good, it’s good” that it happened. This unvarnished answer is one of several he gives as we talk about […]

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Indonesia becomes first Asian country to ban elephant rides

JAKARTA: Indonesia has banned elephant rides, becoming the first Asian nation to outlaw the popular tourist activity on animal welfare grounds. Indonesia, home to the critically endangered Sumatran elephant and the endangered Bornean elephant, first announced the nationwide ban in December, with authorities gradually monitoring compliance since the start of this year. The move followed […]

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Bank Indonesia’s autonomy under scrutiny as Prabowo’s nephew joins leadership

By Resty Woro Yuniar The appointment of President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew to the leadership of Bank Indonesia (BI) has reignited debate over whether Southeast Asia’s largest economy can preserve the central bank’s independence – a question closely watched by foreign investors and currency markets. While some analysts warned that any perception the central bank could […]

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Indonesia begins re-exports of toxic US e-waste in crackdown on illegal imports

Authorities in Batam have begun sending hazardous electronic waste back to the United States, a tentative breakthrough in a case that has clogged one of Indonesia’s busiest ports with hundreds of suspect containers and tested the country’s ability to police such illegal imports. Four containers of electronic waste classified as hazardous and toxic materials were […]

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‘Resilience’ is Indonesia’s new foreign policy buzzword, but is it just rhetoric?

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has placed “resilience” at the heart of its foreign policy this year, pitching it as a way to keep the country from being buffeted by intensifying rivalry among the world’s major powers. But analysts say the concept, though rhetorically appealing, lacks clear objectives and a long-term strategy – running the […]

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GCC, Indonesia seek to finalize trade talks this year

JAKARTA: The Gulf Cooperation Council and Indonesia are aiming to finalize their free trade agreement in 2026, trade officials said on Saturday as they wrap up the fourth round of negotiations. Indonesia has been working to enhance trade ties with GCC members, and already has a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE, its first […]

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Indonesia’s Prabowo pitches stability at Davos amid rising global tensions

By Maria Siow Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has used his Davos debut to drive home a message to global investors that his country intends to stamp out corruption and “greedanomics”, while positioning itself as a rare pocket of stability in an unsettled world economy. Speaking during a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) […]

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Indonesia’s defence deal with Bosnia signals Asian middle power’s clout

By Maria Siow Indonesia has signed a new defence cooperation agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina in a move analysts say marks another step in Jakarta’s bid to expand its security partnerships beyond traditional Western partners. The pact was signed during a meeting between Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and his Bosnian counterpart Zukan Helez in […]

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