BRIN launches 2025 Regional Competitiveness Index to guide regional economic development strategy
BRIN Head Arif Satria said at the launch of the 2025 index in Jakarta on Tuesday that the index was designed as an accessible and measurable indicator to enhance the competitiveness of each region, which in turn contributes to stronger national competitiveness.
“BRIN is striving to carry out this measurement effort, because one of BRIN’s duties is to measure indices for various development indicators,” he said.
Satria stressed that the index is not merely a platform to showcase achievements, but also a policy reference to strengthen the capacity of each region to intervene effectively in its respective priority sectors.
“Economic growth will depend heavily on the strength of research and development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and human capital,” he said.
He noted that the world is currently facing rapid change, where technological change outpaces individual change, individual change is faster than business transformation, and business transformation moves faster than public policy change.
According to Satria, this dynamic presents a challenge that requires a well-prepared strategy so that Indonesia can seize the opportunities created by the accelerating pace of change.
“BRIN has the task of projecting future technological developments. We must anticipate future technologies now. With projections for 2030, 2035, and 2040, we can work backward by preparing the necessary research framework,” he said.
He added that discussions on energy are now shifting toward green hydrogen rather than fossil fuels, while battery technology is evolving from nickel-based materials to graphene-based alternatives. Future protein and food sources, he said, are expected to rely on technological innovations such as cultured meat and advanced food systems.
Satria encouraged regional governments across Indonesia to use the 2025 index as a policy reference to promote more equitable development nationwide, particularly in preparing for the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
He underscored that strengthening research and innovation will be critical for Indonesia’s long-term future, especially as the country is projected to become one of the world’s four largest economies by 2050. Capital and innovation, he said, must be optimized to achieve that target.
Satria expressed hope that the index will motivate regions to improve performance through broader and more integrated development policies. He added that BRIN, through the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA), is ready to support the strengthening of regional research and innovation ecosystems.
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Translator: sean Filo Muhamad, Cindy Frishanti Octavia