Sugiono

Early career

After completing his undergraduate education, Sugiono served in the Indonesian Army from 2002 to 2004, where he reached the rank of first lieutenant in the infantry unit. His brief military service laid the groundwork for his later roles in public service. He then worked as a personal secretary to Prabowo Subianto and when Prabowo declared the formation of Gerindra as a political party, Sugiono became one of the first members of the party, marking the start of his political career.^[3]

House of Representatives

Sugiono entered national politics in 2019 when he was elected to the House of Representatives representing the Central Java I constituency under the banner of the Gerindra Party. During his tenure, he played an active role in the First Commission, focusing on defense, foreign affairs, and communications. He served in this capacity until his appointment as a cabinet minister in October 2024.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

On 20 October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto appointed Sugiono as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, succeeding Retno Marsudi. His deputies include Anis Matta, Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, and Arif Havas Oegroseno. In a press conference of his appointment, Sugiono said he will balance Indonesia's diplomatic relationship between China and United States to realize Indonesia's free and active foreign policy.^[4]

Sugiono’s appointment as foreign minister elicited a variety of responses. He faced criticism for being viewed as inexperienced in foreign policy.^[5] However, some welcomed his appointment, believing that a foreign minister without a diplomatic background could offer new solutions that previous officials may have overlooked.^[6] Sugiono's appointment indicates that Prabowo is more actively engaging with foreign policy than his predecessor.^[7][8][9]

Shortly after his appointment, Sugiono made his first official international visit to attend the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, as Indonesia’s representative.^[10]

Sugiono envisions Indonesia's BRICS membership as a strategic move to amplify its voice on the global stage. He believes that active participation in BRICS will drive economic development and foster stronger trade relations.^[11]

In his maiden foreign policy speech on January 10, 2025, Sugiono highlighted Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto’s policies, saying active participation in peace-keeping effort at the ASEAN and United Nations level will be one of the country’s key moves. He said the country’s foreign policy should be implemented in line with Indonesia’s domestic development priorities, laying out two development priorities of the President – food security and the nationwide campaign of nutrition intervention through free meals program.^[12]

On 11 October 2025, Sugiono became the first Indonesian foreign minister in 12 years to visit North Korea, meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to bolster Indonesia–North Korea relations.^[13]