In line with Indonesian President Joko Widodo's vision to establish Indonesia as a global maritime fulcrum, Indonesia in February this year issued its first National Ocean Policy. Drafting of the policy was overseen by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, newly formed as part of the Jokowi administration, which in July also launched a new map of Indonesia that alters some of Indonesia's maritime boundaries, and renames part of the area of the South China Sea that Indonesia claims as its exclusive economic zone as the North Natuna Sea. What is the significance of this map and the renaming of this sea area? What are the elements of Indonesia's maritime vision, and how is it attempting to realise this vision?

In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae explores these issues with Dr Arif Havas Oegroseno, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Maritime Sovereignty in Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs.

In 2017, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Dr Dave McRae from the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute, Dr Jemma Purdey from Monash University, Dr Charlotte Setijadi from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and Dr Dirk Tomsa from La Trobe University.

Photo credit: M N Kanwa for Antara