Prabowo Boosts Research Budget to Rp 4 Trillion, Here's the Objective

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi announced that President Prabowo Subianto has issued directives to strengthen national research, including a budget increase of Rp 4 trillion. The directive is part of the government’s effort to build a more integrated research ecosystem capable of addressing various national challenges.

At a previous meeting at the palace, the President had already instructed the research budget to be raised to Rp 4 trillion, Prasetyo told journalists following the closing of the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Industry Convention at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Prasetyo explained that the follow-up to President Prabowo’s directive is being carried out jointly with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, the National Development Planning Agency, and the National Research and Innovation Agency to unify the direction of national research policy. The government has also formulated a national research roadmap to serve as a reference, ensuring all research activities operate within a single grand design and are mutually integrated to support national development priorities.

Prasetyo stressed that President Prabowo wants research to not only produce academic findings but also provide real benefits to society and solve strategic problems facing the Indonesian nation. He cited examples such as research on waste, energy, and the transition from LPG to CNG as initiatives that directly impact problem-solving.

Prasetyo also noted that President Prabowo views academics as the nation’s best intellectual assets, playing a crucial role in formulating solutions to national challenges. The President has called on the entire academic community to collaborate and contribute their best efforts according to their respective fields of expertise in a spirit of nationalism.