Indonesia is a very significant country of Southeast Asia. Even though it possesses characteristics that can make it the third 'rising power' of Asia--its size, population, and its location in the Strait of Malacca, etc.--it has not yet shown a resolve to exploit those characteristics to become one. When it decides to become the next rising power, it has todevelop systematic plans of economic development and use economic wealth stemming from such development for building its military (Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI, formerly known as Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia or ABRI). Connie Rahakundini Bakrie`s book, Defending Indonesia, is an important plea for the modernization of Indonesia`s military.Connie belongs to the 'third generation' of national security intellectuals of Indonesia. As the Executive Director of the Institute of Defense and Security Studies (IODAS), she is well versed in the thinking of top civilians and military officials of her country on such matters.