St. Petersburg — President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, reaffirmed Indonesia’s steadfast commitment to maintaining a non-aligned foreign policy stance, despite growing global geopolitical complexities. Speaking during a Q&A session at the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Prabowo acknowledged the increasing difficulty of upholding a non-bloc position in today’s volatile international climate.

“In my view, it is not easy—but it is a path we are determined to stay on,” Prabowo said on Friday (June 21), responding to a question about whether Asian nations, including ASEAN members, can realistically maintain non-aligned positions amid intensifying global power rivalries.

Prabowo emphasized Indonesia’s respect for all major powers and regional neighbors, underlining that collaboration and peaceful coexistence are the only viable paths toward shared prosperity.

“We respect all major powers. We respect our neighbors. And we firmly believe that the only way forward is through collaboration, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence,” he stated.

He went on to warn that the world is becoming “geopolitically and economically smaller,” and that unproductive global rivalries must be avoided at all costs.

“The world is shrinking. We can no longer afford wasteful rivalries—especially those that may escalate into confrontation,” he added. “That is why I firmly believe we must continue to uphold the non-aligned path.”

Prabowo’s remarks reinforce Indonesia’s long-standing foreign policy doctrine of “bebas dan aktif” (“independent and active”), which calls for forging partnerships with all nations while avoiding entanglement in any military alliances or bloc politics.

The statement comes as Indonesia’s role on the global stage grows, particularly after joining BRICS earlier this year, highlighting its strategic balancing act between engagement and independence in an increasingly polarized world.