Indonesia's Smart City Diplomacy Through ASEAN Smart Cities Network Shepherdship (2023-2025)

The Indo-Pacific's position as an epicenter of the global economy generates complex, multi-aspect challenges of urbanization for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. In this context, the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) was launched as a multilateral, non-state effort to share knowledge on building sustainable technology-based urban areas. This article analyzes Indonesia's role as the ASCN 'Shepherd' for the 2023–2025 term, examining it as a case study of middle-power leadership and Smart City diplomacy. Employing a qualitative descriptive method with document analysis, this study investigates how Indonesia leveraged its dual roles as Chair (2023) and Shepherd (2023–2025) to pivot the ASCN's focus from conceptual discourse to the implementation of bankable projects. The findings indicate that Indonesia's shepherdship was not only incremental in making the ASCN more inclusive and practical, but also allowed Indonesia to employ smart city diplomacy to strengthen its position as a major power in the ASEAN and the broader Indo-Pacific. This leadership, which garnered commendations from the ASEAN Secretariat and active participation from member states, provided crucial continuity and solidified Indonesia's regional leadership through pragmatic, solution-oriented diplomacy. This study concludes that Indonesia's shepherdship has manifested as an effective exercise in smart city diplomacy, bridging the gap between planning and implementation and providing a critical institutional legacy for future urban development in ASEAN.