Indonesia and India move to expand strategic ties in digital affairs
The two countries discussed strengthening cooperation in the digital sector during a meeting between Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria and Secretary of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology S. Krishnan.
During a meeting on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday (Feb. 18), Patria stressed the importance of Indonesia and India joining forces to navigate the digital era, according to a statement issued in Jakarta on Thursday.
“This strategic partnership will serve as a strong foundation for both nations to shape a better digital future for Asia, where technology drives equality and inclusive growth,” he said.
Indonesia used the bilateral forum to express its interest in adopting India’s approach to AI democratisation, which emphasises inclusivity and accessibility for startups and the wider public rather than exclusivity by certain parties.
Both sides agreed on the importance of ensuring safety, cultural appropriateness, national data protection, and regulatory compliance in AI development.
On potential cooperation in digital public infrastructure, Indonesia has begun studying India’s model, aiming to enhance transparency and efficiency through the use of digital identity for citizens. Plans are also underway for benchmarking India’s telemedicine and geospatial digital platforms.
Also covered during the talks was the semiconductor industry, given Indonesia’s possession of an abundance of critical raw materials that India requires to advance its ambitious goals in the industry.
In that regard, India offered Indonesia a partnership in skill and technology transfers through its chip design ecosystem, regarded as the world’s largest, supporting more than 300 academic institutions and 100 startups.
Furthermore, the two governments discussed cybersecurity and emergency response, agreeing to prioritise the creation of a channel for information exchange between India’s Computer Emergency Response Team and relevant institutions in Indonesia.
Indonesia signalled its intention to learn from India’s Emergency Response Support System, which integrates healthcare, police, and roadside assistance into a one-stop digital platform.
Regarding human resource development, Jakarta and New Delhi explored involving India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology in joint capacity-building programmes, including one on digital literacy.
The two sides also outlined plans for a programme to enable startups from both countries to collaborate in developing reliable public technology.