Indonesia’s Civil-Military Relations: Democratic Rollback and Remilitarization

Type

Single Panel

Schedule

Session 12
Thu 15:00-16:30 Classroom NT-159

Conveners

Adhi Priamarizki Nanyang Technological University
Sigit S. Nugroho Heidelberg University

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Papers

Populist politics and the resurgence of militarization in Indonesia Aditya Batara Gunawan Universitas Bakrie
What factors have contributed to the recent trend of militarization in Indonesia? This study
suggests that the heightened focus on militarization in Indonesia is deeply intertwined with the
rise of populist politics. Under the leadership styles marked by the populism of President Joko
Widodo and President Prabowo Subianto, civilian oversight of the military has increasingly
embraced a personalized approach, facilitating the expansion of the military’s non-defense roles
in service of regime interests. The heightened degree of public confidence in the military, along
with the constrained extent of democratic civilian oversight, further promotes this trend.
Although both administrations have contributed to the militarization process, President
Prabowo’s administration has implemented a strategy that is significantly more assertive. This
shift emphasizes the importance of a leader’s civil or military experience, as well as the accompanying political objectives, in shaping the growth of civic-military interactions under
populist administration.

Keywords: Indonesia, civil-military relations, militarization, populist politics, nondefense
mission.
From Barret to Straw Hat: TNI and Food Security under President Prabowo Adhi Priamarizki Nanyang Technological University
President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia included food resilience (ketahanan pangan) as one
of his administration’s primary objectives. The president has been deploying, if not relying, the
Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to implement his food resilience program. In order
to support the program, the TNI is aiming to establish 500 Territorial Development Battalions
(Batalion Pembangunan Teritorial) by 2029. Such positive response towards the food resilience
program does not only hint the military’s acceptance towards the policy, but the armed forces’
greater attention towards the program. The heavy focus on food resilience consequently could
over stretch the Indonesian military’s scarce resources. Following the 1998 reform, the TNI
supposedly focused on defense affairs. How do we explain TNI persistence involvement in
non-defense affairs? Previous studies noted the roles of civilian leadership in encouraging
military involvement in non-defense affairs. Using the case of TNI involvement in Prabowo’s
food resilience program, this study focuses its analysis on the dynamics between the president
and the military and their motivations in executing the program.
Keywords: Indonesia, civil-military relations, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI),
Food Resilience, Prabowo Subianto.
The Paradox of Indonesia’s Special Forces Evolution: Structural Expansion and Contemporary Threats Chaula Rininta Anindya Universitas Indonesia
In August 2025, the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) implemented organizational reforms for
its Special Forces (SF) following the enactment of Presidential Regulation No. 84/2025. Key
changes include elevating the rank of each service’s SF commander from two-star to three-star
general and doubling the size of the Army’s SF (Kopassus) from three to six groups. These
reforms underscore the military’s commitment to the “Large Island Defense” strategy.
However, this study questions whether such expansions align with current threat assessments
and the role of SF as a force multiplier. The analysis explores three central dimensions driving
the expansion: (1) contemporary threat assessment; (2) internal organizational needs; and (3)
policymaker agendas. It contends that the reforms risk oversimplifying the complexities of the
contemporary conflict dynamics, where the large number of forces alone does not guarantee
effective national defense. Furthermore, the changes appear to serve bureaucratic objectives,
addressing promotional bottlenecks within TNI rather than strategic necessities. Finally, the
study reveals a policymaker’s overreliance on SF, which undermines their status as a force
multiplier.
Militarizing the Ministry: Whither Civilian Control in Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense? Sigit Suryo Nugroho Heidelberg University
On October 21, 2024, President Prabowo Subianto appointed his new cabinet, naming his longtime
ally and fellow military academy classmate Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as Defense Minister. This
appointment continues a decade-long trend, originating in President Joko Widodo’s first term,
of selecting quasi-civilian defense ministers—defined as individuals with prior military
service. This paper examines the extent to which such appointments have influenced the
ongoing pattern of militarization in Indonesia. Drawing on the theoretical framework of civilian
“pulling” and military “pushing,” the study argues that the Ministry of Defense increasingly
functions as the key executive agency enabling the president to draw the military into nondefense
missions, thereby amplifying its influence over defense policymaking. Using data on
senior appointments within the Ministry, the paper shows that the institution not only reinforces
the military’s traditional roles in defense and external security but also broadens its influence
into non-defense domains, exemplified by programs such as “Defend the State.”
Keywords: Defense Ministry, Civil-Military Relations, Civilian Pulling, Indonesian Military.

Show Paper Abstracts

Abstract

To explain the trend of militarization in Indonesia, existing studies on Indonesia’s contemporary civil-military relations focus mainly on the Indonesian military’s role expansion beyond defense affairs as well as the military’s protection of corporate interests.1 Sebastian and colleagues have framed these trends as “transactional fusionism,” emphasizing the civilian sector’s complicity in facilitating military agency beyond the barracks.2 However, much of this literature risks overlooking the structural and political drivers behind the resurgence of military influence. This panel seeks to critically interrogate such assumptions, moving beyond explanations centered solely on military agency.
Drawing on the analytical lens of civilian pulling as developed by Harig and Ruffa, the panel foregrounds the role of civilian political elites who actively mobilize the armed forces for missions outside their core remit.3 Papers will explore the motivations of these elites, the legal and normative frameworks that have enabled the expansion of Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), and the degree to which the military itself has contested or embraced such civilian-led incursions into non-traditional roles. We consider MOOTW as a particularly salient arena because it functions as a representative of the intersection between civilian and military realms. In Indonesia, MOOTW has also been perceived as a contested arena where the military seeks to act as the lead agency, rather than supporting civilian agencies in their functions.
Finally, Indonesian political elites often exploit this secondary duty, including the military as part of their “quick win” strategies, which has been especially apparent during President Joko Widodo presidency (2014-2024).