From Fragility to Resilience: Revitalising International Legal Order in an Era of Strategic Ambiguity

Abstract

This paper examines the practical role of international law in addressing contemporary geopolitical disputes from the perspective of a middle power. It argues that Indonesia's successful diplomatic achievement in securing international recognition of the archipelagic state principle under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea cannot be directly replicated because today's strategic environment is fundamentally different. While international law continues to provide an essential normative framework for interstate relations, its effectiveness becomes increasingly constrained when disputes involve national security and competing geopolitical interests. The discussion highlights that opposing parties frequently invoke different legal provisions to justify their respective actions, whereas no authoritative enforcement mechanism exists to resolve competing interpretations conclusively. Despite these limitations, Indonesia continues to possess an important diplomatic role through practical initiatives that strengthen confidence, facilitate dialogue, and support peaceful negotiation. The discussion concludes that international law and diplomacy should operate as complementary instruments for managing strategic disputes, enabling middle powers to contribute constructively to international peace while recognising the political realities of an increasingly complex international order.