From Bandung to BRICS: Indonesia’s Role in the Global South with Gita Wirjawan

An in-depth conversation with the host of The End Game Podcast and former Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan, tracing Indonesia’s journey from the historic 1955 Bandung Conference to its recent entry into BRICS. Insights on:

• The Global South’s push for optionality and the rejection of unilateralism
• The hypocrisy in Western values amid Gaza genocide
• De-dollarization prospects
• Bilateral opportunities between Iran and Indonesia
• Indonesia’s long-term optimism despite current conflicts

A must-watch for understanding the shifting world order through an Indonesian lens.

Regional Notes:

From Think-BRICS:

India and Indonesia are rewriting the Global South playbook—and the West should be paying attention.

As Indonesia joined BRICS in January 2025 and India chairs BRICS in 2026, these demographic giants are building a comprehensive strategic partnership that doesn’t wait for permission. From digital integration and local currency settlements to joint AI governance and manufacturing booms, they’re dismantling dependencies on outside powers.

🚀 India just became the world’s 4th largest economy, while Indonesia achieved food sovereignty and finalized multiple FTAs. Both nations are racing toward “Developed India 2047” and “Golden Indonesia 2045” through reform, not rhetoric.

Is this India-Indonesia axis the blueprint for how Global South nations will navigate the new multipolar order without picking sides?

Yet, we see Trump bellowing that India will not buy Iranian oil now, but they will buy Venezuelan oil (obviously with US currency for the US bank account, and there is the distinct feeling that Trump is not managing to sell the Venezuelan crude).  India, according to Trump, will also stop buying Russian oil.  This has been all over the news in the last day or so, with Trump quoting a phone call that he had with MODI.

Apparently Trump again invited MODI to join the G7.  You may remember last year just before the BRICS RIO summit, MODI did in fact visit the G7, and I said at the time with India taking over the BRICS chair, MODI is somewhat on a BRICS watchlist … It was a cold meeting for India at Rio BRICS.  Then, there was this massively productive summit between Russia and India with Putin visiting, just a few months ago.  So now we are in the time of test.  Will MODI do it, or will he not, talking about western alliances.

We’ve not heard the Indian side about this phone call.  There is no transcript yet from the office of MODI.  Trump could be telling fibs again .. let’s wait and I’ll certainly follow up.