Dr. Mohmad Waseem Malla is a Research Fellow with the International Centre for Peace Studies (ICPS), New Delhi. He has a doctorate from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He is a keen observer of the Persian Gulf and South Asia developments and China’s rising profile in the Middle East.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, balances economic ties with China while asserting its sovereignty amid tensions in the South China Sea. China's maritime claims and illegal fishing in Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Natuna Sea have prompted Jakarta to enhance naval patrols, contributing to regional militarisation.