The Bali International Airshow (BIAS) 2024, set to take place from September 18 to September 21, 2024, marks a significant moment for Indonesia’s ambitions in the aviation and defense sectors. Under the theme “Where Aerospace Excellence Meets Defense Innovation,” the event serves as a hub for professionals in the aviation industry, particularly in Indonesia, and promises to attract major players like Airbus, Bell Helicopters, Boeing, Brahmos, Dassault Aviation, Embraer, Garuda Group, Lion Air, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Textron Aviation, and Thales.
This is Indonesia’s first aviation showcase in 30 years, making it a pivotal moment in the country’s ambitions to modernize its aviation sector and position itself as a strategic hub for aviation diplomacy. More than 6,000 attendees from 35 countries, including defense industry leaders and government representatives, will convene, making BIAS 2024 a diplomatic and economic opportunity. In a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment, especially within the Indo-Pacific region, the event underscores Indonesia’s determination to enhance its aviation sector as a means of projecting soft power and expanding its influence.
Indonesia’s Aviation Diplomacy
Indonesia’s decision to host BIAS 2024 aligns with a broader strategy of aviation diplomacy, wherein the aviation industry becomes a tool for fostering international relations and enhancing global collaboration. Aviation diplomacy emphasizes the role of air transport, aviation technology, and defense in creating diplomatic connections between countries. Through BIAS 2024, Indonesia is positioning itself as an aviation hub that can facilitate not only commercial deals but also deeper bilateral and multilateral ties in defense and civil aviation. By attracting global aviation leaders and defense contractors, Indonesia is promoting itself as an emerging player capable of advancing technological and industrial cooperation. Aviation diplomacy is central to this, as it allows Indonesia to leverage its airspace, market potential, and geographic advantage to negotiate key partnerships. These partnerships are not limited to commercial exchanges but also include critical collaborations in aviation safety, infrastructure development, and military aviation.
Aviation diplomacy is a form of soft power, as described by Joseph Nye, which emphasizes influence through collaboration and attraction rather than coercion. In this context, the aviation diplomacy embodied by BIAS 2024 is a strategic demonstration of Indonesia’s soft power. As articulated by Joseph Nye (2004) in his book “Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics”, soft power refers to the ability of a country to shape the preferences of others through appeal and attraction rather than coercion. Indonesia is not coercing other nations into cooperation through military or economic might, but rather creating an appealing platform—BIAS 2024—where global stakeholders in aviation and defense gather, exchange ideas, and collaborate.
The event serves as a form of soft power projection, where Indonesia presents itself as a key player in regional aviation and defense sectors, using its cultural and geographic advantages to foster mutually beneficial relationships. By positioning itself as a hub of innovation and collaboration, Indonesia enhances its diplomatic reach and strengthens ties with other nations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. This aligns with Nye’s theory that the attractiveness of a nation’s culture, political values, and policies can be as powerful as traditional forms of power, influencing global outcomes in subtle yet profound ways.
Through BIAS 2024, Indonesia is leveraging its soft power to attract investments, form strategic alliances, and bolster its global standing without resorting to hard power tactics, proving that influence in modern geopolitics can be cultivated through collaboration and shared interests. By hosting a globally recognized airshow, Indonesia demonstrates its capacity to serve as a conduit for innovation and a bridge for international cooperation in the aviation sector. This event also provides a forum for countries to discuss critical issues in aviation security, technology transfer, and defense collaboration, all of which have long-term implications for Indonesia’s foreign policy and national security.
BIAS 2024 opens up unprecedented opportunities for Indonesia in both commercial and defense sectors. As a developing nation with a growing middle class and a burgeoning aviation market, Indonesia is positioned to attract significant investment from major global aviation and aerospace companies. Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, and other leading manufacturers can find in Indonesia not just a lucrative market but a potential partner for production and R&D in Southeast Asia. On the defense front, the event also aligns with Indonesia’s Defense Industry Development Program (P3DN), which aims to enhance domestic defense production capabilities. This presents opportunities for Indonesia’s state-owned enterprises like PT Dirgantara Indonesia to engage in collaborative projects with global defense contractors. Such partnerships can lead to technology transfers, helping Indonesia to reduce its reliance on imported defense systems and move towards self-reliance in the production of military hardware.
The Vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum
BIAS 2024 also presents an opportunity for Indonesia to showcase its “Global Maritime Fulcrum” vision. Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum vision emphasizes the country’s strategic role as a bridge between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, focusing on strengthening maritime infrastructure, securing sea lanes, and increasing its influence in regional security. The Bali International Airshow 2024 complements this vision by integrating aviation diplomacy into Indonesia’s broader maritime ambitions. As a maritime nation, Indonesia’s control over its airspace is equally critical to its ability to safeguard key maritime routes and ensure regional stability.
Furthermore, Indonesia is not only showcasing its potential as an aviation hub but also reinforcing its position as a central player in the Indo-Pacific’s security architecture. The aviation sector’s development directly supports the GMF by enhancing Indonesia’s capacity to monitor and protect its vast maritime domain from both traditional and non-traditional security threats. This linkage between air and sea is crucial in Indonesia’s broader geostrategic ambitions, where airpower complements its maritime presence, providing a comprehensive defense and security approach in the region. Moreover, BIAS 2024 presents an opportunity for Indonesia to forge alliances that align with its Global Maritime Fulcrum aspirations. By engaging with international aviation and defense stakeholders, Indonesia strengthens its position as a pivotal maritime nation with the ability to influence regional airspace security and bolster its defense capabilities across both maritime and air domains. These partnerships are vital to achieving its long-term goals of maintaining sovereignty and promoting stability within its strategic maritime and aerial corridors.
Indonesia’s Struggle for Aviation Ambitions
However, Indonesia’s ambitious aviation diplomacy is not without challenges. First, the country’s infrastructure deficits remain a significant barrier to fully capitalizing on the potential of BIAS 2024. While Bali is an attractive location, concerns over airport capacity, logistical coordination, and technological infrastructure could detract from the event’s success. Hosting such a large-scale international event demands flawless coordination, and any shortcomings in these areas could tarnish Indonesia’s image as a host and potential aviation leader.
Moreover, Indonesia faces stiff competition from established aerospace hubs like Singapore and Malaysia. The Singapore Airshow, for instance, has long been recognized as the premier aerospace event in the region, and Indonesia will need to work hard to differentiate BIAS 2024 as more than just another industry gathering. Indonesia’s unique selling points—its vast domestic market, strategic geographic location, and rising defense budget—must be clearly articulated and demonstrated through tangible outcomes from the event.
Another challenge lies in sustaining the momentum after the airshow ends. Signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and building relationships during the event is one thing, but translating those agreements into long-term partnerships requires a stable political environment and a transparent regulatory framework. If Indonesia cannot guarantee a favorable investment climate, particularly in the defense sector, many of the opportunities presented at BIAS 2024 could remain unrealized.
Geopolitical Elevation: How BIAS 2024 Impacts Indonesia’s Strategic Standing
The strategic implications of BIAS 2024 extend far beyond the aerospace industry. In a region fraught with geopolitical tensions particularly in the South China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific, Indonesia’s efforts to bolster its aerospace and defense capabilities have significant geopolitical ramifications. By hosting an event of this magnitude, Indonesia is positioning itself as a key player in maintaining regional security and stability.
Indonesia’s ability to balance relationships with both Western powers like the United States and emerging powers like China and India will be crucial. The participation of companies like Boeing and Brahmos which representing defense interests from the United States and India, indicates that Indonesia is actively engaging with multiple global actors. This multifaceted approach is reflective of Indonesia’s long-standing non-aligned foreign policy, where the nation seeks to avoid entanglement in global power blocs while still securing strategic partnerships.
From a geostrategic perspective, Indonesia’s location in the heart of the Indo-Pacific makes it a critical player in both maritime and airspace security. Enhancing its aviation capabilities is not just about economic growth but about ensuring national security and regional stability. By using BIAS 2024 as a platform for aviation diplomacy, Indonesia is laying the groundwork for long-term partnerships that will bolster its defense capabilities, secure its territorial integrity, and ensure its leadership in Southeast Asia’s aviation market.
Conclusion
BIAS 2024 is a pivotal moment for Indonesia’s aviation diplomacy. By bringing together industry leaders, defense contractors, and government officials, the event offers a unique opportunity for Indonesia to assert its position as a rising aviation power. The diplomatic and strategic impacts of the airshow are likely to extend far beyond its four-day run, shaping Indonesia’s role in regional and global aviation markets for years to come. Indonesia’s success in using aviation diplomacy to secure economic investment, technological advancement, and defense partnerships will be a testament to its growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. However, realizing the full potential of this diplomatic strategy will require overcoming infrastructural challenges, ensuring regulatory stability, and maintaining a careful balance between competing global powers. If these challenges can be addressed, BIAS 2024 may well mark the beginning of Indonesia’s ascent as a leader in the global aviation and defense sectors.
