Indonesia’s evolving nuclear policy: the trajectory of a disarmament champion

Introduction

Indonesia has historically been a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament. Nuclear weapons are seen as a threat to international peace and security, which explains Indonesia’s continuous effort to promote nuclear disarmament in multilateral fora, encouraging the use of nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes. A recent reaffirmation of this position has been the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which has been approved by the House of Representatives of Indonesia on 21 November 2023“Transkripsi Press Briefing Menlu RI Pengesahan RUU TPNW Dalam Rapat Paripurna DPR RI, 21 November 2023” [Transcription of the Press Briefing of the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ratifying the TPNW Bill in the DPR RI Plenary Session, 21 November 2023], Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia, 21 November 2023. . Despite this continuity, Indonesia’s stance on nuclear disarmament has known evolutions over time – from its early interest in owning nuclear weapons to clearly determining the country’s firm policy towards nuclear non-proliferation and total disarmament. This research examines the transformation of this policy over time, recalling the initial nuclear ambitions of the country in the 1960s, the transition to a staunch opposition to nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation in the early 1970s, with Indonesia becoming one of the most vocal actors in Southeast Asia (SEA) on the topic. This rejection of nuclear weapons has been defended hand in hand with the promotion of the right of all countries to benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The paper ends on a description of the adaptation of Indonesia’s position to its strategic interest – both at the regional and global level –, considering in particular how the country’s strong supportive stance for disarmament can be in line with the renewal of big power competition in the Indo-Pacific.

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