Indonesian Paper and the Nuclear Proliferation in Indo-Pacific Region

Earlier this month, Indonesia submitted a proposal entitled ‘Nuclear Naval Propulsion’ – also known as the ‘Indonesian Paper’ – during the 10th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT RevCon), held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters. The proposal is aimed to address the gap in international law and regulations regarding the proliferation of nuclear-powered propulsion systems on submarines, as well as to raise awareness of the potential risks.

Furthermore, according to observers, the paper highlights Jakarta’s concern on the recent evolution of the security context in the Indo-Pacific region, especially with the proliferation of nuclear-powered submarines. What should the Indonesian government do to protect its sovereignty, as well as interests, amid such circumstances?