Indonesia discusses digital sovereignty and anti-espionage legislation

Stakeholders in Indonesia are discussing strategies to achieve digital sovereignty and strengthen national security against geopolitical and technological threats. During a forum in Jakarta, industry leaders emphasized that digital sovereignty does not require total self-reliance in technology development, but rather reducing strategic dependency and maintaining control over utilized technologies.

Nanang Hendarno, CEO of PT Telkom Indonesia, identified Artificial Intelligence as the next major industrial wave, comparable to electricity or connectivity. He noted that controlling the infrastructure, such as hyperscale data centers and trusted AI frameworks, is essential for digital control.

In a separate discussion, lawmakers and cybersecurity experts highlighted the urgency of drafting an anti-espionage bill. Proponents, including Commission I member TB Hasanuddin and experts from the Indonesia Cyber Security Forum and the ASEAN Study Center, argued that comprehensive regulation is needed to protect strategic information in the defense, economic, and industrial sectors from foreign intervention and illegal digital data collection.