Reflections on the Foundations and Pillars Towards a Developed Indonesia
Indonesia is approaching its centenary of independence in 2045. While this may seem far off, from the perspective of nation-building, less than two decades is actually a very short period.
The question is not merely whether Indonesia will reach its 100th year as an independent nation. A far more important question is: what kind of Indonesia will exist in 2045? Will we truly have become a developed nation capable of mastering technology, building our own industries, ensuring food and energy security, and standing with strong sovereignty? Or will we remain a large market dependent on technology, products, and various strategic needs from other nations?
This question is relevant when revisiting the thoughts of national figures such as Mohammad Natsir, known for his contributions to Indonesian sovereignty, and B.J. Haribbie, regarding the mastery of technology. Every thought is born from the context of its era. Natsir operated during a period when Indonesia was still struggling to form and defend the state and seek foundations for national life. Habibie arrived in a different era: when Indonesia began to have the confidence to discuss the mastery of science, engineering, strategic industry, and high technology.
Today, the context has changed again. Indonesia faces the digital revolution, artificial intelligence, energy transition, electric vehicles, battery technology, biotechnology, advanced materials, and geopolitical competition that is increasingly linked to technological mastery. Therefore, the question should not merely be what Natsir thought or what Habibie achieved, but how those spirits and ideas can be translated to address Indonesia’s current challenges.
We need a dialogue between the experiences of previous generations and the capabilities of today’s Indonesian generation—including scientists, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, and professionals working in various global research centres and industries. In this way, history becomes a source of energy for the future, rather than just a space to reminisce about past glory.
We possess a large population and domestic market, diverse natural resources, a strategic geographical position, and a wealth of culture that many nations do not have. Resources only hold value if they can be transformed into productivity, knowledge, technology, industry, and prosperity. Here, the analogy of a building becomes relevant.
We often speak of downstreaming, digitalisation, industrialisation, energy security, and the defence industry. All of these are important. However, a tall building cannot stand without a strong foundation. At least three foundations require serious attention: education, health, and the ability to meet basic needs, including food.
Education determines the quality of the human capital that will manage the state and the economy. However, 21st-century education is not enough to merely produce diplomas. We need individuals capable of critical thinking, conducting research, generating innovation, solving industrial problems, and creating technology.
Health must also be positioned as an investment in national productivity. An unhealthy population cannot serve as the foundation for a competitive economy. Furthermore, a nation of over 280 million people requires a resilient food system. This is not just a matter of paddy fields and agricultural production, but also seed technology, fertilisers, water, mechanisation, energy, logistics, storage, and the processing industry. These three constitute the foundation before we can discuss a higher economic structure. These foundations appear to be being strengthened by the current government.
Above these foundations, one of the most important pillars of a developed Indonesia is industrialisation. Industrialisation should no longer be understood solely as the construction of factories or the processing of raw materials into products with slightly higher added value. In the 21st century, industrialisation must mean the mastery of capability—meaning the Indonesian nation masters its own engineering, understands the processes, and possesses the intellectual property, so that national companies can implement improvements without always depending on foreign technology owners.
Moreover, Indonesian engineers must possess and acquire the knowledge that enables the birth of next-generation technology. A vital lesson from Indonesia’s past development is that this country once served as a site for the implementation of various advanced technologies in the oil and gas industries. Indonesia was once a significant player in energy production and exports. However, the utilisation of resources and the influx of foreign technology do not automatically result in national technological mastery. The reality is that there is a vast difference between operating technology and mastering technology. A developed nation is not merely a technology user; it must move towards becoming a technology developer and, ultimately, a technology owner.
Energy holds a special position in national development. Without energy, industry stops, mobility is disrupted, food production is hindered, and digital infrastructure cannot function. Indonesia once enjoyed a period of oil and gas prosperity. That experience should provide a fundamental lesson: energy resources must not be viewed merely as commodities for short-term revenue. Energy is also capital for development. One unit of energy…