French and Indonesian presidents have traditionally respected one another because both represent nations that like to view themselves as non-aligned.

For Indonesia, this comes naturally, since there is a strong desire among the leadership to maintain a solid Western ally. At the same time, France has spent at least a generation seeking to anchor itself to a Southeast Asian country in order to remain strategically relevant in Asia.

There is also a matter of size, ambition, vision, and temperament. Indonesia is certainly larger geographically, but France too is an archipelagic maritime power, and French geostrategy seeks special relationships, multiple alliances, and forms of shared non-alignment.

The rapprochement between the two countries should therefore occur naturally. South Korea, Japan, and even Taiwan attracted French attention for a time. Yet although relations remain excellent with those countries, their geopolitical situation did not entirely correspond to France’s objectives, and everywhere competition with the United States and China is intense.

Within this logic, French strategists developed the Indo-Pacific concept. Under Emmanuel Macron, this notion expanded dramatically with the publication in 2021 of a dedicated 67-page strategy document. It included everything needed to inspire policymakers, business circles, students, military officers, missionaries, and entrepreneurs: strategic balance theories, commercial and cultural expansion projects, and global ambitions. Today, however, there is no conquest or domination involved, only cooperation.

Indonesia now follows a similar trajectory. Since 1965, American anti-communist influence has been extremely active there, yet perfect equality never truly existed. France cannot protect Indonesia against China, but it can associate with it, provide weapons and industrial expertise, and build a relationship rooted partly in emotional affinity. The French are capable of such relationships.

Indonesia is not an American ally and is no longer central to the American Indo-Pacific vision. The United States published its own 19-page Indo-Pacific strategy in 2020 under Joe Biden, but Indonesia still does not occupy a central role for Washington.

This is precisely why France and Indonesia can and should grow closer.

Australia is a crucial factor in this dynamic. Australia is a treaty ally of the United States, yet its conservative government had chosen France to build Franco-Australian submarines for the Australian navy. We all remember the spectacular reversal by Scott Morrison’s government in September 2021, which abruptly terminated the Franco-Australian partnership project and led Australia to join the AUKUS alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom. France’s Indo-Pacific strategy was suddenly endangered, and Indonesia emerged as a key partner capable of putting things back on track.

Another emotional factor also comes into play on the Indonesian side. Indonesian economic and cultural elites have always shown strong interest in France. French archaeologists are among the most active in Indonesia, particularly through the National Museum of Natural History. Indonesian music, especially Balinese and Javanese gamelan, is highly appreciated in France. The Quai Branly and Guimet museums have frequently promoted Indonesian culture.

Finally, Indonesia has no disputes with France. Emmanuel Macron first with Joko Widodo and now with Prabowo Subianto have developed close relationships. Numerous private meetings between Macron and Prabowo have already taken place. The participation of Indonesian soldiers in the Champs-Élysées military parade and Prabowo’s recent proposal to send 20,000 Indonesian soldiers to Gaza in support of peace efforts illustrate a strong Franco-Indonesian diplomatic partnership.

This cooperation can continue without risk of sudden reversal, without upsetting anyone, and with mutual enrichment. The objective and emotional reasons behind the friendship between France and Indonesia remain very much alive.

Harold Hyman

International affairs journalist