Critical Minerals Can Become Instruments of Digital Diplomacy: Nezar

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Nezar Patria has stated that the nation’s wealth of critical mineral resources could serve as an advantageous instrument of digital diplomacy for Indonesia amidst competition in artificial intelligence (AI) development. Speaking at the Jakarta Geopolitical Forum in South Jakarta on Thursday (9/7), he emphasised that Indonesia possesses a strategic advantage due to its ownership of critical mineral resources needed for technological development. “Indonesia needs to use critical minerals to negotiate better access to computing, technology transfer, and manufacturing partnerships,” he said, as quoted in a ministry press release confirmed on Friday. He conveyed that Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, a position that can strengthen the country’s standing in the global battery production supply chain. “We are the world’s second-largest producer of cobalt, a key material for high-performance batteries and advanced semiconductors,” he said. “Furthermore, we are the third-largest exporter of copper ore, a mineral essential for the wiring and cooling systems of data centres that house AI infrastructure,” he added. According to Nezar, this wealth of mineral resources enables Indonesia to become a key player in the global AI ecosystem, rather than just a consumer. Amid the rivalry between the United States and China, he suggested that Indonesia must forge its own strategic path through digital diplomacy. With its wealth of critical minerals, a large digital market, demographic bonus, computing capacity, digital talent, and industrial capability, he argued that Indonesia should not be merely a market or a raw material supplier. Nezar asserted that Indonesia’s success in becoming a strategic technological power on the path to Golden Indonesia 2045 depends on consistency in building digital infrastructure, data centres, talent, and strong institutions. Therefore, the government is prioritising chip diplomacy, increasing energy supply for data centres, developing AI and semiconductor talent, and strengthening AI development that aligns with the Indonesian context. “Digital power, in the end, is not just about technology. It is about political will, the will to maintain a cross-government strategy, to build institutions gradually, and to decide Indonesia’s new geopolitical future,” Nezar Patria concluded.