Indonesia and the Gulf must do more than soft power in a time of war As tensions linked to the U.S.–Iran war continue to destabilize the Middle East, Indonesia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are expanding cooperation in culture, education, and the creative economy. These efforts are structured, growing, and politically safe. But they are also misaligned with the scale of the crisis. Recent engagements illustrate the current trajectory. The April 2026 visit of Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud to Jakarta produced agreements on heritage preservation, museum cooperation, and creative industries. Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon framed culture as a form of “soft power,” emphasizing its role in building long-term ties. These initiatives are not trivial. They include coordination at UNESCO on intangible heritage, plans for museum digitalization and collection exchanges, and exploration of joint film production, translation programs, and artist residencies. Indonesia’s parallel engagement with Qatar focuses on academic mobility and joint research, while cooperation with the United Arab Emirates includes the deployment of Indonesian medical teams in UAE-run field hospitals supporting Palestinians. Taken together, this is a coherent soft-power strategy. The problem is not the substance of these efforts. It is their timing and priority. As tensions linked to the U.S.–Iran war continue to destabilize the Middle East, Indonesia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are expanding cooperation in culture, education, and the creative economy. These efforts are structured, growing, and politically safe. But they are also misaligned with the scale of the crisis. The U.S.–Iran war has already moved beyond a contained confrontation. Strikes, retaliatory attacks, and disruptions to shipping routes are affecting the broader region, including the Gulf itself. Energy markets are tightening, trade flows are under strain, and the risk of further escalation remains high. Indonesia should use its Morocco pact to build a real security presence in MENA. At a moment of active conflict, soft power is not enough. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.
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