JAKARTA — Singapore and Indonesia agreed to commission a joint study on technology opportunities in the Batam, Bintan and Karimun (BBK) region as both governments push to develop the area into a digital hub, officials said after the 16th Singapore‑Indonesia Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups ministerial meeting on June 9.
Co‑chaired by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, the annual talks covered cooperation across investments, manpower, transport, tourism, agribusiness and special economic zones. The planned BBK study will map technology and digital‑economy prospects to help attract more investment, officials said.
Leaders from both sides reaffirmed commitments to deepen ties amid global uncertainty and to expand collaboration in the digital economy, green energy, industrial infrastructure and agritech. The meeting highlighted existing BBK investments, including data centre projects in Batam and Bintan, and noted Nongsa Special Economic Zone expansions and new entrants such as DayOne, PT Equator Gate System and DCI Indonesia.
Participants also flagged other major bilateral initiatives. Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry said Kendal Industrial Park in Central Java, a flagship Singapore‑Indonesia industrial estate, will grow by an additional 1,000 hectares in its second phase to attract investment and jobs. In green energy, Singapore’s Sembcorp and Indonesia’s PT Sumber Energi Surya Nusantara plan a 200‑megawatt solar plant with an 80‑megawatt‑hour battery system, while Singapore‑linked CRecTech and Pertamina are advancing a biogas‑to‑biomethanol pilot in North Sumatra.
The meeting launched people‑to‑people and skills projects, including a Young Farmers Development Programme that will send 13 Indonesian farmers and two ministry officials to Singapore for agritech training later this month.
Addressing investor concerns, Gan said Singapore will work with Indonesia to keep the country an attractive destination for Singapore businesses, noting Singapore remained Indonesia’s top foreign direct investor in 2025 with US$17.4 billion in inflows. On Indonesia’s proposal to centralise strategic commodity exports under a state entity and plans for an international financial centre in Bali, Gan said strong regional financial hubs would be mutually beneficial and Singapore looks forward to cooperation on developing robust financial centres across the region.