Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has instructed law enforcement officers to shoot drug traffickers who resist arrest, saying the country faces a "narcotics emergency".

"Be firm, especially to foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist arrest," Mr Widodo said in a speech at an event held by one of Indonesia's political parties.

"Shoot them because we indeed are in a narcotics emergency position now."

Indonesia already has tough laws against drugs, and Mr Widodo has previously been criticised for ordering executions against convicted drug traffickers given death penalties in the country's courts.

Two convicted Australian drug smugglers, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed by Indonesia in 2015 despite pleas for a stay of execution from the Australian Government.

Mr Widodo's remarks have drawn comparison to that of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a brutal anti-drug crackdown about a year ago that saw many alleged drug dealers killed.

The bloody campaign in the Philippines has drawn condemnation from the international community, including the United Nations.

The shooting order from Mr Widodo came a week after Indonesian police shot dead a Taiwanese man involved in a drug smuggling operation near the capital Jakarta.

The group was trying to smuggle one tonne of crystal methamphetamine into the country, and police said the man was killed for resisting arrest.

The operation resulted in the largest ever seizure of crystal methamphetamine in Indonesia's history.

After the incident, Indonesian National Police chief Tito Karnavian was quoted by media saying he had ordered officers not to hesitate shooting drug dealers who resist arrest.

The bust was the country's largest ever seizure of crystal methamphetamine. ( Jakarta Police )

Reuters