Strategic Studies in Indonesia and India: Shaping Regional Security and Global Roles

Surakarta/New Delhi – As global power balances shift and the Indo-Pacific emerges as the world’s strategic center, Indonesia and India are positioning themselves at the forefront of regional and international security debates. Strategic studies—once a topic confined to military academies and think tanks—has now become central to public policy, diplomacy, and media discussions in both nations.

Indonesia’s Strategic Calculus: Between Archipelago and Indo-Pacific

Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelagic state, sits at the crossroads of major sea lanes connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This geographic reality defines much of the country’s strategic thought. From countering illegal fishing to safeguarding maritime sovereignty, Indonesia’s policymakers and scholars in strategic studies are increasingly focused on maritime security.

“Indonesia cannot separate its identity from the sea. Our strategic concerns are always tied to our waters,” said a Jakarta-based analyst. Recent debates around the Natuna Islands and the South China Sea highlight how strategic studies inform Indonesia’s foreign policy and defense decisions.

Beyond security, Indonesia also employs strategic frameworks to advance its diplomatic role in ASEAN. As a founding member of the regional bloc, the country promotes the idea of “ASEAN centrality” in addressing Indo-Pacific challenges. This involves balancing relations with the United States and China while maintaining regional stability through multilateral cooperation.

India’s Strategic Studies: A Global Ambition

For India, strategic studies is inseparable from its identity as both a South Asian power and a global player. With its large military, growing economy, and central role in the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the U.S., Japan, and Australia), India uses strategic frameworks to expand its influence across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Indian think tanks and universities have become hubs for research on nuclear policy, border security, cyber defense, and maritime power. The nation’s experience with complex border disputes, including tensions with China and Pakistan, makes strategic studies not only theoretical but also practical. “Our geography compels us to think strategically every day,” remarked a defense scholar from New Delhi.

India’s strategic community also debates the country’s global role—whether as a balancing power in a multipolar world or as a leader of the Global South. Energy security, climate resilience, and digital sovereignty now feature alongside traditional military concerns in India’s evolving strategic discourse.

Shared Concerns: Maritime, Cyber, and Regional Stability

Although Indonesia and India differ in size, geography, and military capacity, their strategic priorities often overlap. Both nations emphasize the importance of free and open sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific, crucial for trade and security. Maritime cooperation, joint naval exercises, and dialogues on counter-piracy are growing areas of collaboration.

Cybersecurity is another shared concern. As digital economies expand in both Jakarta and New Delhi, protecting data, infrastructure, and online security has become a strategic priority. Recent discussions between Indonesian and Indian policymakers highlight the need for regional frameworks to address cyber threats and misinformation campaigns.

Both countries also recognize the importance of non-traditional security issues. Climate change, pandemics, and energy transitions are increasingly part of strategic studies, reflecting how security is no longer confined to tanks and missiles but extends to human and environmental well-being.

The Role of Media in Strategic Awareness

Interestingly, the role of journalism in shaping public understanding of strategic issues is also growing. In both nations, newspapers, television debates, and online media now regularly cover topics such as regional security, foreign policy, and defense modernization. By translating complex analyses into accessible narratives, journalists help bring strategic studies closer to the public sphere.

Looking Forward

As Indonesia and India continue to rise in global importance, their approaches to strategic studies will shape not only national policy but also regional order. Both nations face the challenge of balancing domestic priorities with global ambitions, navigating between great powers while safeguarding their sovereignty.

For Indonesia, the task lies in ensuring maritime resilience and asserting its role within ASEAN. For India, the challenge is to balance its regional security concerns with its aspirations for global leadership.

What unites both is a recognition that strategic studies is no longer an academic exercise but a practical necessity. In the Indo-Pacific century, where the tides of power are shifting, the ability to think strategically may well determine the future of both Indonesia and India on the world stage.

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A news by © Happy Annisa Nurhapsari (2025)