Rosan Stresses Research and Industry Collaboration to Accelerate Downstreaming

Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Rosan Roeslani has emphasised the importance of collaboration between the research community and industry to accelerate downstreaming, which can create added value for the national economy. According to Rosan, investment and downstreaming are not only aimed at increasing the added value of natural resources but also serve as a foundation for building a national industry that is productive, transparent, competitive, and beneficial for workers’ welfare. He assessed that the direction of Indonesia’s downstreaming policy must be able to build a sustainable industrial ecosystem. Rosan explained that incoming investment cannot be measured solely by the amount of capital, but rather by its impact on creating quality jobs, increasing national productivity, strengthening technological mastery, and economic added value. “We believe that the presence of students at universities, especially in the field of research and development, makes a very positive contribution. Therefore, what needs to be considered is future collaboration so that the positive results of investment and downstreaming can be implemented into industry and generate great benefits,” Rosan said during a keynote speech at the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) in Jakarta. Rosan revealed that the downstreaming policy is beginning to show positive results. Throughout 2025, Indonesia’s investment realisation reached Rp1,931.2 trillion, growing 12.7 percent year-on-year. This achievement also exceeded the government’s target with a realisation of 101.3 percent. Furthermore, the investment successfully absorbed more than 2.7 million direct workers, an increase of 10.4 percent compared to the previous year. According to Rosan, the connection between research and industrial needs is a crucial factor in building a healthy and sustainable national industry. “Research that is connected to industry is one of the important factors in building a healthy and sustainable industry. Regulatory certainty, good governance, and ease of doing business will increase investor confidence while creating fair business competition,” he explained. To strengthen the national innovation ecosystem, the government has prepared a super tax deduction incentive of up to 300 percent for research and development activities, and up to 200 percent for education and training activities. Rosan added that strengthening the quality of human resources is an important part of the national downstreaming agenda. He assessed that industrial development must go hand in hand with improving workforce competence through training, strengthening research, enhancing skills, occupational safety, and harmonious industrial relations.