Bahasa Indonesia Sebagai Infrastruktur Diplomatik: Analisis Ekonomi-Politik Atas Strategi Ekspansi BIPA Di Asia Tenggara

Abstract

Language is no longer viewed solely as a tool of communication but has evolved into a form of diplomatic infrastructure that strategically shapes perception, influence, and international relations. This study investigates the Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) program as part of Indonesia’s soft power strategy and cultural-political economy agenda in Southeast Asia. Adopting a qualitative-descriptive method based exclusively on secondary data sources (such as policy documents, regulations, institutional reports, and scholarly literature), the research seeks to explore the geopolitical significance of BIPA’s expansion. Findings reveal that BIPA has become a key mechanism for promoting Indonesian culture and values through both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, reinforcing Indonesia’s regional diplomatic presence. The program exemplifies a non-coercive strategy of influence amidst the competitive landscape of global languages such as English and Mandarin. However, institutional fragmentation, absence of integrated performance indicators for language diplomacy, and limitations in human resource capacity and instructional materials continue to hinder its full potential as a strategic asset. This paper recommends the establishment of a cross-ministerial national language diplomacy agency and the formal integration of BIPA into ASEAN’s cultural cooperation frameworks and Indonesia’s foreign policy agendas. By doing so, BIPA can transcend its role as a language education initiative and be repositioned as a tool of national interest negotiation and global identity formation.