Insights Indonesia

23/09/2026

BRICS promises Indonesia more markets, investment and technological cooperation. Yet China’s economic weight, and its growing role in the bloc’s AI, payment and industrial initiatives, raises concerns about who will ultimately shape these systems.

Indonesia should remain active in BRICS, but the bloc must expand its choices rather than deepen its dependence on Beijing. Read our analysis.

BRICS promises Indonesia new markets and technology, but China’s growing influence could deepen economic and strategic dependence.

22/09/2026

Anak Krakatau’s alert status has been lowered from Level III to Level II following a sustained decline in volcanic activity.

The downgrade is encouraging, but it is not an all clear. The volcano remains active, eruptions are still possible and a two-kilometre exclusion zone remains in force.

Our latest article explains what Level II means, how Anak Krakatau emerged from the ruins of the 1883 eruption, why its 2018 collapse caused a deadly tsunami and how Indonesia monitors the volcano today.

Read more:

Anak Krakatau’s alert has fallen to Level II. Learn what the downgrade means, how the volcano formed and why monitoring continues.

22/09/2026

Indonesia arrived at the 2026 BRICS Summit with a clear ambition: to become an agenda-setting power rather than a passive participant.

President Prabowo Subianto called for industrialisation, national resilience and stronger cooperation among developing countries. By invoking the 1955 Bandung Conference, he connected Indonesia’s modern diplomacy with its history of independence, self-determination and solidarity with the Global South.

Indonesia used the 2026 BRICS Summit to promote industrialisation, Global South solidarity and a stronger role in global decision-making.

16/09/2026

AI is already entering Indonesian healthcare.

New systems are being tested for tuberculosis screening, pregnancy monitoring, cervical-cancer detection and hospital decision support. Indonesia has also introduced rules covering clinical validation, patient data and AI-based medical software.

Indonesia expands healthcare AI for TB, pregnancy and cancer screening as new safety and data rules take effect.

15/09/2026

The immediate disruption caused by Anak Krakatau has ended. Airports and schools have reopened, while the widespread airborne ash is no longer detectable.

But the volcano remains at Level III alert, deposited ash may still pose a local health hazard, and another eruption remains possible. Nearly 69,000 respiratory infections were recorded in affected regions, although the effects of volcanic ash cannot be separated easily from Indonesia’s worsening wildfire haze.

Read the full article: https://insightsindonesia.com/indonesia/anak-krakatau-remains-active-as-ash-clears-and-respiratory-concerns-continue/

14/09/2026

Article 63 of China’s new ethnic-unity law claims legal authority over organizations and individuals outside the country accused of undermining ethnic unity. Meanwhile, Uyghur Australians have described interrogation, surveillance and pressure to provide information about activists and language schools.

These concerns matter to anyone who believes Muslim communities should be able to preserve their faith, language and identity without intimidation.

Read the full article:

08/09/2026

The Anak Krakatau eruption caused two days of major disruption across Indonesia’s aviation network.

Volcanic ash forced eight airports to suspend operations, disrupting 2,961 domestic and international flights and affecting around 341,000 passengers. Airlines also faced higher costs, while travellers turned to trains, ferries and alternative airports.

All affected airports have reopened, although Anak Krakatau remains under close monitoring. Read how the eruption disrupted air travel and why closing the airports was necessary.

The Anak Krakatau eruption began late on September 4 and intensified over the weekend. A continuous eruptive phase lasted about 25 hours, producing lava

01/09/2026

Indonesia’s 2026 El Niño is becoming one of the strongest in recent years.

Early forecasts underestimated how quickly it would intensify, while fire hotspots in August have already exceeded the same month in 2015.

But stronger El Niño does not automatically mean a worse disaster. Indonesia now has better monitoring, peatland restoration and firefighting capacity.

So how does 2026 really compare with 1997, 2015 and 2023, and is the country prepared enough this time?

Indonesia’s 2026 El Niño is intensifying fast. How does it compare with 1997, 2015 and 2023, and is the country better prepared?

26/08/2026

China buys more than 80% of Iran’s shipped oil, providing Tehran with a crucial source of revenue. Washington’s new Operation Economic Outcast is now threatening the foreign banks, companies and vessels that help sustain that trade.

For Indonesia, the risks are real. China is its largest export market, Iranian crude has reportedly been shipped under false Indonesian labels, and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz could raise domestic energy costs.

Indonesia should maintain an independent foreign policy, but independence does not mean ignoring the consequences of China’s support for Tehran.

Read the full analysis:

Indonesia is exposed to Trump’s sanctions against Iran through its economic relationship with China. Iranian crude has reportedly entered China under

24/08/2026

A newborn Sumatran elephant arrived on Indonesia’s Independence Day, a hopeful symbol for one of the country’s most endangered animals.

There are other encouraging signs too. The government has strengthened elephant protections, launched a long-term conservation strategy and expanded veterinary cooperation.

But the picture is far from comfortable. Recent elephant deaths in Aceh, suspected poisoning in Bengkulu, habitat fragmentation and a wildfire in Way Kambas show how fragile the situation remains.