Indonesia’s Triumphs and Limitations as It Stakes Claim to Leadership in Southeast Asia

As a growing Asian middle power, Indonesia plays a significant role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and towards the security of the region. Since ASEAN’s creation in 1967, Indonesia has been quietly demonstrating its leadership within the bloc. It does so with a certain degree of credibility, having the largest economy and population in the region and possessing formidable military capabilities as well. Adding heft to its geopolitical significance not only in Southeast Asia, but in the greater Indo-Pacific, is its strategic geographical position at the intersection of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and proximity to the Strait of Malacca.