Indonesia & Pakistan: Not two peas in a pod

Unlike Pakistan, Indonesia has harnessed its natural advantages to nurture a sustainable growth trajectory

Indonesia and Pakistan, both in India’s Asian neighbourhood, have been in the foreground this month for their national elections and the resulting change of guard at the helm of affairs. With the fourth and fifth largest populations in the world, the two countries also have the largest Muslim population. Both countries have been under military dictatorship/ authoritarian regimes at different points in their post-independence history, for almost the same number of years —a little over three decades. While Pakistan continues to struggle with the elected form of governance, Indonesia has had a long period of political stability after transitioning to