Diplomasi Pertahanan Maritim Indonesia: Implementasi White Hull Diplomacy Dalam Mengelola Grey Zone Di Laut Natuna Utara

Abstract

This study examines Indonesia’s implementation of white hull diplomacy to manage grey zone dynamics in the North Natuna Sea, positioning the Navy as the strategic enabler behind civilian maritime law-enforcement (Bakamla/Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries). A qualitative literature review of policy documents and accredited academic sources was employed. The analytical framework draws on neorealism (state rationality and self-help), maritime security theory (multidimensional governance of law, economy, defense, and diplomacy), and the nested concepts of maritime diplomacy, defense diplomacy, and their synthesis maritime defense diplomacy emphasizing deterrence without escalation. Findings indicate that the effectiveness of white hull diplomacy depends on a layered defense architecture orchestrated by the Navy: Maritime Domain Awareness for detection and 
cueing; hydrographic and lawfare support to strengthen legal legitimacy under UNCLOS; and over-the-horizon naval presence to sustain latent deterrence. This “data–enforcement diplomacy” chain validates actions within the EEZ, preserves diplomatic space, reduces escalation risks, and enhances Indonesia’s legal standing. Policy implications include tighter information-operational integration among the Navy–Bakamla–KKP, sustained investment in MDA and evidentiary capacity, and consistent regional/multilateral diplomacy to buttress norms at sea. Accordingly, Indonesia’s maritime strength is assessed by its ability to 
orchestrate law, diplomacy, and defense rather than by the quantity of grey-hull assets.