Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Kate Lamb and Ben Doherty

In Prabowo’s Indonesia, the military is quietly creeping back into civilian life

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto looks on before he delivers his annual State of the Nation Address, ahead of the country's Independence Day in Jakarta on August 15, 2025.
Observers have criticised the expansion of the military under Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commandant. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/AFP/Getty Images

“A big nation like us,” Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto told the rank and file before him, “needs a strong military. No nation can be independent without having a strong military.”

In a speech before inaugurating military troops in West Java this month, Prabowo – the former special forces commandant – proclaimed that Indonesia must strengthen its defences to protect the nation’s sovereignty and resources.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.