1. Darynaufal Mulyaman

International Relations Study Program, Universitas Kristen Indonesia

DOI: 

ABSTRACT 

This article examines how Indonesia's engagement with the Global South movement functions as a new instrument of soft power in contemporary international diplomacy. Drawing on the frameworks of international advocacy and historical analysis, the study traces the continuity and transformation of Indonesia's diplomatic posture from the Bandung Conference of 1955 to its full membership in BRICS in January 2025. The central argument is that Indonesia has consistently used Global South platforms as a means to shape international norms, expand its diplomatic network, and strengthen its global image without relying on military force or economic dominance. Through an analysis of historical sources and recent foreign policy developments, this article finds that Indonesia's G20 presidency in 2022, ASEAN chairmanship in 2023, and accession to BRICS constitute strategic stages in a long-term soft power project rooted in the bebas-aktif principle. The article concludes that Indonesia's engagement with the Global South is a deliberate strategic choice that reflects its national identity and interests on an increasingly multipolar global stage.

Keywords: soft power; Global South; Indonesian diplomacy; Bandung; BRICS