The rise of paragunboat diplomacy as a maritime diplomatic instrument: Indonesia’s constabulary forces and tensions in the North Natuna Seas

Abstract

The use of maritime constabulary forces and coast guards as diplomatic instruments in disputed waters has been a growing occurrence in the Indo-Pacific region. The challenges presented to Indonesia amid the rise of foreign vessel intrusions pose great obstacles to Jokowi’s decisive and non-negotiable stance on Indonesia’s sovereignty in the North Natuna Seas. Challenged by Vietnam and China due to overlapping EEZ and continental shelf zones, the North Natuna Seas continues to be filled with the presence of maritime paramilitary agencies, foreign fishing fleets, and other sea intrusions to Indonesia’s maritime boundaries. This article argues that as an attempt to respond to contemporary challenges in the Natuna Seas, Jokowi has empowered Indonesian coast guards as a paragunboat diplomatic strategy to respond to coercion at sea. By evaluating the development and mandates given to the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency since 2014, this article further justifies Indonesia’s turn to paragunboat diplomacy due to the need for a non-confrontational and non-coercive maritime diplomacy strategy, and as a posturing strategy to compel adversaries away from Indonesian waters due to the promising tactical flexibility of using non-military maritime constabulary forces.

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