Author : Remigio Alexandre do Carmo Vieira
Affiliation : Independent Researcher / Master’s Candidate, Atlantic International University, Timor-Leste
On 8 September 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia’s full commitment to the BRICS framework, describing the bloc as “a very strong pillar for stability and hope” amid global geopolitical uncertainty (Hartarto, 2025a). This statement reflects Indonesia’s assertive strategy to strengthen its position in a multipolar world and highlights the role of developing countries in shaping the international agenda.
Indonesia’s decision to become a full BRICS member since early 2025 represents a critical strategic move, positioning the country not merely as an observer but as an active actor in creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable global order.
This membership carries not only geopolitical implications but also direct effects on the economy, trade, and regional diplomacy. Indonesia now has direct access to BRICS forums to promote national interests, including expanding exports, attracting foreign investment, and supporting sustainable development initiatives across Southeast Asia.
Implications for Timor-Leste : opportunities and challenges
For Timor-Leste, Indonesia’s BRICS membership opens significant opportunities for indirect access to development projects and alternative financing through the New Development Bank (NDB). Potential projects include infrastructure development, renewable energy, and sustainable development programs aligned with Timor-Leste’s national agenda (World Bank, 2024). Considering that most Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and foreign aid remain concentrated in the energy and infrastructure sectors, collaboration through Indonesia-BRICS could serve as a strategic diversification of funding sources.
However, Timor-Leste’s reliance on the US dollar as its official currency remains a structural constraint. While the US dollar ensures monetary stability, it limits the country’s ability to utilize alternative financial instruments offered by BRICS, including NDB projects that may operate in other currencies or non-dollar payment mechanisms. This strategic dilemma requires a hedging policy approach: Timor-Leste must balance leveraging multipolar opportunities via Indonesia-BRICS while maintaining ties with Western donors to ensure economic and fiscal stability (Syamsudin, 2025).
Moreover, pragmatic diplomacy is crucial. Timor-Leste needs to strengthen institutional capacity to navigate multipolar dynamics while maintaining good relations with Western countries to secure development support and international market access.
ASEAN : multipolar integration and regional cohesion
As the largest ASEAN country, Indonesia holds a strategic position to drive multipolar integration in the region. Indonesia’s BRICS membership provides ASEAN with opportunities to access alternative funding sources, enhance trade negotiation leverage, and reduce dependence on Western financial institutions (Setiawan, 2025). The South-South Cooperation concept becomes relevant, allowing developing countries to collaborate toward sustainable development and balance reliance on major economic blocs.
However, internal ASEAN challenges remain. Member states exhibit divergent strategic orientations: some lean toward the West (e.g., Vietnam and the Philippines), while others are closer to China or BRICS (e.g., Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar). Indonesia’s BRICS leadership can serve as a mediator to maintain ASEAN cohesion while maximizing multipolar benefits. Success in this strategy could strengthen ASEAN’s position in global negotiations on trade, investment, and regional infrastructure projects (Hartarto, 2025b).
Western bloc : strategic adaptation
Indonesia’s BRICS membership also signals a strategic shift for the Western bloc, particularly the United States and the European Union. ASEAN and Southeast Asia now have alternative diplomatic and financial options, reducing the West’s unilateral influence. This requires adaptation strategies, including potential increases in development aid, investment expansion, and adjustments in diplomatic cooperation with ASEAN countries, including Timor-Leste (Hartarto, 2025c).
Through BRICS, Indonesia highlights issues of double standards in international law and the global economy, emphasizing the need for South-South solidarity and a more just global order. This indicates that Western countries must be more adaptive to remain strategic partners for developing nations.
Global impact and multipolarity
Globally, Indonesia’s move reinforces the trend of multipolarity. Developing countries now have a broader platform to actively participate in international economic and political decision-making. Alliances like BRICS serve as crucial instruments for developing countries to shape more inclusive and equitable global policies (Hartarto, 2025d).
Indonesia’s presence in BRICS provides opportunities for small and medium-sized countries, including Timor-Leste, to enhance bargaining power in trade, development, and international diplomacy. Multipolarity is not merely a political concept; it has tangible effects on economic balance, development, and global governance.
Strategic recommendations for Timor-Leste
Based on the analysis of Indonesia’s BRICS membership impact, the following recommendations are proposed for Timor-Leste :
1. Diversify Funding Sources: Leverage alternative financing channels, including Indonesia-BRICS projects, to reduce reliance on the US dollar.
2. Strengthen Institutional Capacity and Diplomacy: Develop international negotiation institutions, project management, and pragmatic diplomacy skills.
3. Policy Hedging Approach: Balance cooperation with BRICS and maintain positive relations with Western donors to mitigate economic and fiscal risks.
4. Regional Collaboration: Actively participate in ASEAN forums and utilize Indonesia’s mediator role to unlock development and investment opportunities.
5. Technology and Renewable Energy Utilization: Focus on clean energy and modern technology projects supported by BRICS, complemented by supportive regulations and investment incentives.
Conclusion
President Prabowo Subianto’s assertive statement marks a strategic momentum for Indonesia, with implications for:
Timor-Leste: Development opportunities via BRICS projects versus the US dollar dilemma.
ASEAN: Potential for multipolar integration versus risks of internal fragmentation.
Western Bloc: Challenges in strategic adaptation and influence.
Global Order: Increasing multipolarity, providing space for developing countries to set their own agendas.
Through BRICS, Indonesia demonstrates that developing countries can become decisive global actors while opening strategic alternative development channels for the region. For Timor-Leste, ASEAN, and the international community, this underscores the need for adaptive strategies, pragmatic diplomacy, and multipolar collaboration to navigate an increasingly complex global era.
References
Hartarto, A. (2025a, July 7). President Prabowo Subianto reaffirms commitment to world peace at BRICS. ANTARA News. https://en.antaranews.com/news/364669/prabowo-reaffirms-commitment-to-world-peace-at-brics
Hartarto, A. (2025b, July 7). Indonesia promotes global trade, peace, reform in 2025 BRICS Leaders’ Declaration. Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia. https://setkab.go.id/en/indonesia-promotes-global-trade-peace-reform-in-2025-brics-leaders-declaration/
Hartarto, A. (2025c, July 7). Indonesia and BRICS: Developing Challenges. Valdai Discussion Club. https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/indonesia-and-brics-developing-challenges/
Hartarto, A. (2025d, July 7). Through BRICS, Indonesia offers its vision of inclusivity to the world. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317280/through-brics-indonesia-offers-its-vision-inclusivity-world
Setiawan, A. (2025). Indonesia’s Joins BRICS: Balancing Economic Opportunities and Geopolitical Challenges in a Multipolar World. Journal of Law, Politics, and Humanities, 5(3), 2075–2082. https://doi.org/10.38035/jlph.v5i3.1567
Syamsudin, A. (2025). Bridging National Interest and Global Political Balance. SIT Journal, 1(1), 44–59. https://sitjournal.com/sitj/article/view/44
World Bank. (2024). Timor-Leste Economic Indicators and Foreign Investment Data. World Bank Database. https://data.worldbank.org/country/timor-leste
