Indonesia’s Prabowo is desperate to impress Trump and Xi
The new president’s first foreign tour was a shambles
Over the course of three presidential campaigns, Prabowo Subianto told Indonesians that the country needed a president tough enough to stand up to foreign powers. The former special-forces general’s first foreign trip as president has them wondering whether he was referring to someone else.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Flights of fancy”
From the November 30th 2024 edition
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Prabowo Subianto is drastically cutting Indonesia’s budget
The cash saved is going into a new fund he controls
The election in Tajikistan is unlikely to be democratic
Instead it will be a way for Emomali Rahmon, the president, to cement his rule
How overt religiosity became cool in India
The Maha Kumbh Mela shows how tradition has become trendy
The trouble with ancient Indians
India is rapidly ageing. It’s in for some surprises
Singapore’s leader of the opposition is convicted of lying
The city-state’s usually dull politics have taken a turn
Only Asia can help America counter China’s shipbuilding prowess
But will Donald Trump let it?