Prabowo Pursues Downstreaming, Targets Global Technology

President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed a new policy direction for state-owned enterprises (BUMN), now focused on accelerating national downstreaming and strengthening mastery of high technology. In his address at the Annual Session of the MPR and the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD in Jakarta on Friday (14/8), the President stated that the government will not only build processing facilities domestically but also plans to make strategic acquisitions of the world’s best companies.

The move to purchase global companies aims to give Indonesia direct access to technology, intellectual property (IP), world-class management, market networks, and mature industrial experience. “We will also buy the best companies in the world. So that we can obtain their technology, their IP, their best management, their markets, and their experience, so that our economy will become strong,” said Prabowo.

Through the Danantara Management Body (BP Danantara), the government has initiated dozens of downstreaming projects throughout 2026. Prabowo detailed that the first wave of development began on 6 February 2026 with 13 projects, followed by 13 additional projects on 29 April 2026.

In addition to focusing on downstreaming, the President emphasised the importance of strengthening the upstreaming sector. One concrete example highlighted is the livestock sector. To achieve self-sufficiency and increase national meat production, Indonesia needs a large cattle population quickly.

Prabowo mentioned that mastery of cutting-edge technology, including cloning technology, is key to accelerating the increase in livestock population in the country. “For example, to increase our meat output, we need many cattle. With that, we can obtain cloning technology,” he explained.

This grand strategy is expected not only to strengthen the national industrial structure from upstream to downstream but also to create tens of thousands of new jobs for the Indonesian people through various strategic projects managed by BUMN and Danantara.