The extant literature on Indonesian foreign policy focuses on how successive Indonesian presidents since 1945 have, first and foremost, grappled with different domestic forces when engaging the world. Many have also highlighted how presidential idiosyncrasies shape overall foreign policy formulation and implementation. On the other hand, Indonesian diplomats have consistently invoked the sacrosanct 'independent and active' principle as the ultimate guide to the country’s foreign policy. So, which one matters: the principle or the domestic politics of foreign policy