As often stated in academic papers and reiterated in discussions, technological development brings significant opportunities for connecting people across the world. However, it also presents unprecedented challenges, particularly in the area of security, expanding beyond traditional military threats into nonmilitary and hybrid forms.Indonesia, as one of the most digitally connected countries in the region, is not immune to these negative impacts. The country has been exposed to cyber-enabled threats from both state and nonstate actors. Such threats carry serious implications for government agencies, critical infrastructure, and vital sectors such as finance and healthcare.Recognizing Indonesia’s vulnerability, on 19 August 2025, Safer Internet Lab hosted a roundtable discussion with experts and representatives from government institutions, academia, and civil society to examine how Indonesia perceives foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) and hybrid threats. The discussion also addressed existing efforts, gaps, and potential measures to strengthen national resilience.Held in the Jakarta, the roundtable discussion aims to:

1. explore the current security landscape in Indonesia;
2. identify gaps in responding to hybrid threats in Indonesia;
3. explore a sustained cross-sectoral collaboration between government agencies in detecting, analysing, and responding to hybrid threats in Indonesia; and
4. contribute to the formulation of actionable policy recommendations to respond to non-state and state-sponsored security challenges in Indonesia.

The discussion opened with a presentation by Pieter Pandie (Researcher, CSIS) who shared findings from the report “Tackling Disinformation, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference in Southeast Asia and Broader Indo-Pacific”. The research report categorises types of foreign influence into traditional media influence and digital media influence observed through a dataset from 2019 to 2024. In Southeast Asia, the regulatory approach to address FIMI remains fragmented due to the differing threat perception in the region. Therefore, the government agencies, tech platforms, and civil society at the national and regional level need to foster collaboration to strike the balance between tackling FIMI and ensuring democratic freedoms in the digital realm.This was followed by a presentation from Fitriani (Senior Analyst, ASPI) on “Hybrid Threats in the Indo-Pacific – Pilot Action (HIPPA)” that introduces a broader concept known as hybrid threats. In the Indo-Pacific, hybrid threats manifest in the form of IUU fishing, maritime incursion, cyber operations, separatism, among others. Therefore, this project aims to deepen the cooperation between the European Union (EU) with Indo-Pacific countries, including Indonesia, in the area of non-traditional security such as conducting research, early warning systems, and sharing lessons learned and best practices on hybrid threats.The event continued with an open discussion among participants. It was noted that Indonesia’s 2015 White Book of Defence recognizes a potential threat in the digital space, including disinformation and misinformation. In terms of FIMI, the challenges of attribution of threat actors remains persistent due to the inherent anonymity in social media. While most efforts have been top-down, a bottom-up approach involving civil society and academics is essential to reveal best practices. There is also the need to strengthen existing initiatives, such as media literacy, to enhance its effectiveness.In terms of hybrid threats, Indonesia recognizes hybrid threats as a national security challenge, especially with the advancement of technology that has further exacerbated its complexity. Through Law No. 23/2019 on the Management of National Resources for State Defence (UU PSDN), Indonesia has formally acknowledged the concept of hybrid threats and incorporated into national defense strategy that consists of both military and non-military threats. Hybrid threats are also enshrined on other national defence strategies such as Kebijakan Umum Pertahanan Negara Jakum Hanneg (2025-2029) and Rancangan Undang-Undang Keamanan dan Ketahanan Siber (RUU KKS).The discussion on hybrid threats have also taken place among the military and academics in Indonesia through various digital platforms. Such platforms present an avenue for Indonesia to establish a clear conceptual definition of hybrid threats, align threat perceptions, and bridge differences in cyber capabilities among government agencies. In addition, it can also serve as a baseline for cooperation focusing on hybrid threats that are tailored to the socio-political context and national interests of Indonesia. Through such multi-stakeholder involvement, this can foster a coordinated and interoperable collaboration among the government institutions, think tanks, and civil society to mitigate and respond to the risk associated with hybrid threats.