Indonesian Seas Are More Than an Economic Space

The Chairman of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), I Gede Wenten, stated that Indonesia’s seas must be viewed as the nation’s largest living laboratory.

According to Wenten, the ocean is not merely an economic space but also the birthplace of scientific knowledge, innovation, and Indonesia’s future strength.

“The sea is a campus, a laboratory, a natural factory, an ecological fortress, and the space of Indonesia’s future,” Wenten said, as quoted from Brin.go.id.

For too long, Indonesia’s seas have been perceived only as a source of fish and shipping routes. Yet, beneath these millions of square kilometres of ocean lies the nation’s future in food, energy, technology, and civilisation.

This was discussed at the “National Policy Dialogue on Maritime Sovereignty Based on Marine Biological Resources” organised by BRIN and Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on Friday, 22 May.

In his presentation titled “Juanda 2.0: Revitalising the Juanda Declaration in the Knowledge-Based Blue Economy Paradigm”, Wenten explained that Indonesia must renew its approach beyond merely acknowledging maritime territory, instead positioning the ocean as a hub for national science, technology, and innovation development.

Wenten noted that Indonesia is often perceived solely as a country with a land area of approximately 1.9 million square kilometres. However, as an archipelagic nation, Indonesia’s sovereign territory spans about 5.1 million square kilometres, encompassing both land and sea.