1. BRICS: From NEF to "Super Super Forces"

Lemanto described BRICS not merely as a “New Emerging Force” (NEF), but as a "super super force"—a powerful bloc already altering the global order. He emphasized that unlike post-colonial alliances that had to build from the ground up, BRICS stands on firm economic and political foundations, commanding 40% of the world’s population and energy.

He underlined the bloc’s future potential in launching an alternative financial architecture—possibly a new currency—as a response to Western sanctions and weaponized finance. However, he cautioned that this institutional vision remains long-term and experimental.

2. China: The Double-Edged Economic Engine

While many focus on Russia’s geopolitical assertiveness, Lemanto stressed that the real variable for Indonesia is China’s economic dominance. He warned that BRICS membership could leave Indonesia vulnerable to Chinese market power unless proper safeguards are in place.

He pointed to concrete impacts—such as damage to Indonesia’s textile industry caused by Chinese imports—as evidence that Beijing's expansion, while not militarized, carries serious economic weight. While Lemanto acknowledged that Russia and India could act as internal checks within BRICS, he implied Indonesia must approach China with both diplomacy and strategic calculation.

3. Indonesia’s Internal Pillars: A Critical Deficit

A core concern raised by Lemanto was Indonesia’s lack of internal capacity to benefit fully from BRICS membership. According to him, although the alliance represents a "big opportunity," Indonesia’s foundational structures—its laws, constitution, education system, and long-term governance institutions—remain too weak.

He asserted that under President Jokowi, while infrastructure and optics improved, the nation suffered "heavy damage" to its normative institutions. Without deep national strengthening, Lemanto warned, Indonesia risks becoming a passive participant in BRICS rather than a strategic actor.

4. Strategic Outlook: Between Reefs and Reality

Lemanto supported Foreign Minister Sugiono’s "interactive" foreign policy—what he called mendayung antara dua karang (rowing between two reefs)—but added a dose of global realism. He invoked the concept of "Global Darwinism", suggesting that only the geopolitically strong will survive in this increasingly ruthless international system.

In this context, Lemanto expressed concern that Indonesia’s traditional “non-aligned” comfort zone must now give way to capability-based realism. Nations, he argued, should rely not on rhetoric or alignment, but on internal power and strategic clarity.

5. Revising Global Alignments: Toward Eurasia?

Looking ahead, Lemanto predicted a potential revision of Indonesia’s external alignments—away from traditional Western blocs like the US and EU, and toward deeper strategic ties with Eurasian powers, particularly Russia and China. This reflects a broader vision of rebalancing Indonesia’s diplomacy in line with multipolar realities.

He endorsed President Jokowi’s statement at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, where the president urged the bloc to prioritize economic problem-solving over any militarized competition, clearly distancing BRICS from NATO’s model.

6. Final Message: Only Indonesia Can Save Indonesia

Perhaps the most powerful insight from Lemanto was his assertion that "only Indonesia can save Indonesia". This was both a nationalistic call for self-reliance and a warning against blaming external forces for internal stagnation. He framed this as a constructivist approach—building capacity at home, rather than a revisionist attitude that externalizes blame.

Conclusion

Eduardus Lemanto’s contribution to the Akbar Faizal Podcast offered a grounded, strategic view of BRICS not as a shortcut to global influence, but as a test of national readiness. As Executive Director of ACBA, his analysis stands as a call to action for Indonesia to strengthen its internal systems, calculate its geopolitical risks, and engage in alliances like BRICS with clarity, not euphoria.

The future of Indonesia in BRICS, Lemanto argued, hinges not on diplomacy alone—but on whether the nation can build the institutional and economic backbone needed to sit confidently at the global table.>

Analysis Center for BRICS+ and ASEAN