AGP Executive Report

Climate & Food Security: WMO says El Niño is forming fast, with an 80% chance between June–August 2026 and ~90% through at least November—raising risks of drought, heavy rain, heatwaves, and higher food prices. Biodiversity in Indonesia: A rare Blue-fronted Lorikeet (only seen once in a century) was rediscovered in Buru’s highlands, with new photos and first sound recordings since 2014—spotlighting habitat threats from logging and mining. Energy Transition & Carbon Tech: Malaysia’s CCUS push needs a whole-of-nation approach and stronger ASEAN coordination to scale carbon capture, with gaps across the value chain. Indonesia in Global Trade Pressure: The US proposes 10–12.5% forced-labor tariffs on dozens of economies, explicitly listing Indonesia among countries with laws that weren’t effectively enforced. Solar Manufacturing: SEG Solar plans a 4.6 GW solar module plant in Texas (HJT tech), while it’s building a 5 GW ingot-and-wafer facility in Indonesia. Tech & Society: Indonesia’s BRIN is advancing hydrogeochemistry for mineral exploration and disaster mitigation, mapping water quality and aquifers from surface to deep underground. Science Spotlight: A US doctoral candidate reports rare deep earthquakes in Antarctica, probing whether ice-sheet weight helps trigger them. Weird-but-Real Science: Google’s “mosquito army” research aims to release sterile, Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes to shrink populations over generations.

Defense & Industry: Indonesia’s defense firm Republikorp is teaming up with Qatar’s Barzan Holdings via a joint venture to build weapons systems from firearms to unmanned surface vessels and mini submarines, with a new entity planned to deepen Indonesia–Qatar defense-industry cooperation. Space & Connectivity: Indonesia tightens rules for foreign LEO satellite services, requiring operators like Starlink to set up network operations centers in-country and follow local content regulations, while pushing satellite + AI integration for remote connectivity. Research & Biodiversity: An OceanX–BRIN expedition is helping document life on Indonesia’s remote tropical seamounts, producing baseline biodiversity data with Indonesian institutions and the University of Rhode Island. Digital Governance: Indonesia’s Presidential Staff Office (KSP) completed 81 field checks on national priority programs, including tech, digitalization, healthcare, education, and anti-corruption. Academic Integrity: An Indonesian researcher hijab-switching and name-tag changing scandal at an international conference is triggering scrutiny of research fraud and misconduct in Indonesian academia. Climate Risk: The UN weather agency warns El Niño is likely to intensify extreme heat and drought risks, with Indonesia among the affected regions. Quantum Computing: France’s Quobly raises €115M Series A to industrialize silicon-based quantum computers and target a first commercial product by end-2026. Security Diplomacy: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visits Indonesia to expand cooperation across trade, defense, infrastructure, energy, digitalization, AI, and halal industries. Disaster Resilience: BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction working group meetings begin in Puri, with Indonesia joining in 2025 and discussions covering early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and science/technology for mitigation.

Indonesia Cybersecurity: BSSN says Indonesia logged 5.5 billion cyberattacks in 2025 and tracked another 1.52 billion in early 2026, with government, economy and national security targeted—pushing for stronger cross-sector coordination. Social Media Age Rules: Indonesia’s new 16-and-over policy is driving platforms to mass-purge accounts and roll out teen-focused versions, while Meta expands its teen safety guardrails across more apps. AI & Bioengineering: A Japan-led team with Indonesia collaborators built a “cyborg roach” system that reads internal body signals like heartbeat and neural activity to guide insect behavior. Climate Tech & Preparedness: The UN and WMO warn El Niño is developing (80% by June–August; ~90% by November), raising risks of drought, heavy rain and heatwaves—Indonesia is explicitly mentioned among drought-prone areas. Policy & Business Tech: Indonesia’s export centralisation plan is starting, and business groups want clear technical guidance on contracts and how exporters handle proceeds. Local Tech/Innovation: Indonesia’s GoTo cofounder Nadiem Makarim argues his graft case misread tech and business links, as prosecutors seek a 27-year sentence.

El Niño Watch: The UN weather body says El Niño is likely to return soon (80% chance by June–Aug, up to 90% persistence to November), raising risks of heat stress, drought, and extreme rain. AI Shopping in Indonesia: Google expands its virtual try-on to Indonesia and other APAC markets, aiming to make search more “dressing-room” friendly for fashion and footwear. Indonesia Court Case: Gojek founder Nadiem Makarim pleads not guilty in a corruption case tied to a government Chromebook procurement programme, arguing the policy saved the state budget. Rupiah Pressure on Healthcare: A weaker rupiah is worrying insurers as imported medical supplies and devices could push up health claim costs. Enterprise AI Shift: Asia Tech x Enterprise 2026 in Singapore highlights Southeast Asia’s move from AI experiments to enterprise deployment. Malaysia Youth Safety Rules: Malaysia starts enforcing a ban on under-16s running independent social media accounts, requiring government ID age checks and fines for non-compliance. Climate-Linked Microfinance (EU): Germany’s “Chiemgauer” local currency is being used as a carbon-cutting tool by rewarding climate-friendly choices. Wildlife Tech for Conservation: A mobile veterinary unit in Sumatra is treating critically endangered elephants, using rapid field care to prevent deaths.

ASEAN Security: Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 wrapped in Singapore as China pushed its “common, comprehensive” security vision and Japan faced scrutiny over a broader military tech and defense posture. Digital Identity & Interop: Indonesia’s Digi Yatra is moving toward international deployment after an IATA trial validated cross-border digital identity and wallet compatibility. Local Digital Public Infrastructure: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea joined the 50-in-5 campaign, linking digital identity, payments, and data exchange to speed trusted government services. Biometrics for Law Enforcement: The FBI asked industry for biometric matching algorithms to support and modernize its Next Generation Identification system. Online Safety Rules: Malaysia began enforcing a nationwide under-16 social media ban with age checks via MyDigital ID and MyKad, with fines for non-compliance. Energy Transition Tech: SEG Solar announced a third U.S. solar module assembly plant in Texas and plans upstream ingot/wafer work in Indonesia to strengthen supply resilience. Indonesia Climate Reality: Reporting questions whether Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership can retire coal plants, after Indonesia quietly dropped plans to close Cirebon-1. Disaster Response: Rescuers in Laos continued efforts to find two remaining villagers trapped in a flooded cave.

Online Safety Regulation: Malaysia starts enforcing a nationwide ban on social media accounts for kids under 16, requiring age verification and blocking under-16 signups on major platforms, with fines up to RM10 million for non-compliance. Indonesia Policy & Trade: Indonesia begins a transition to centralized commodity exports via a new state company under Danantara, aiming for more transparent pricing and better tax outcomes as coal, palm oil and ferroalloys move first. AI & Robotics: Unitree unveils the H2 Plus humanoid reference design built on NVIDIA’s Isaac GR00T platform, targeting faster research-to-deployment for general-purpose humanoids. Tourism Promotion: Indonesia’s “Wonderful Indonesia” campaign heads to Seoul’s SITF 2026 with “Go Beyond Ordinary,” pushing both flagship and emerging destinations. Semiconductors & US-China Controls: The US Commerce Department closes a loophole by tightening advanced chip export licensing to Chinese entities even when they’re based outside China. Digital Infrastructure: ZTE pitches an open “digital tropical rainforest” strategy for overseas data centers, citing Indonesia deployments with Alibaba Cloud. Smart Charging Hardware: CUKTECH launches the 10 Ultra Charger with 120W multi-port fast charging, dynamic power allocation, and Bluetooth/Mi Home control. Climate & Disasters: Papua New Guinea moves to set up a national emergency authority and pushes El Niño preparedness planning. Sports Tech Marketing: OPPO spotlights AI and telephoto camera tech at the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest.

BrahMos Missile Exports: India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh says the BrahMos deal with Vietnam is already signed (not yet publicly announced) and an Indonesia pact is in the final stages, marking another step for India’s defence exports to ASEAN. Regional Security Drills: India’s PRAGATI 2026 multilateral exercise wrapped in Meghalaya, with 400+ troops from 13 nations including Indonesia, focusing on counter-terrorism and interoperability. ASEAN AI Infrastructure Race: A new push for AI hubs across ASEAN is boosting growth hopes, but raises concerns over power, water, rare-earth supply chains, and worker displacement. Indonesia’s Strategic Commodities Oversight: Danantara Indonesia will announce its DSI management team next week to oversee exports of strategic commodities, building supporting tech infrastructure during a transition. Wildlife Conservation Milestone: Taman Safari Indonesia debuted Rio, Indonesia’s first giant panda cub born outside China in three years, after veterinary and conservation checks. Public Health Research: A review suggests guava juice may help iron supplements work better and reduce anemia risk, especially in low- and middle-income settings. Laos Cave Rescue Update: Heavy rain is complicating the search for two missing miners after five were rescued from a flooded cave system.

Orangutan Nursing Mystery Solved: Two teams studying the same Borneo orangutans disagreed on how long mothers breastfeed; a new fecal proteomics approach using proteins found only in milk suggests nursing can last about 6.5 years, with milk intake stopping around age 2.5. Reef Damage From “Careful” Diving: A study tracking 700+ divers across popular sites in the Philippines and Indonesia (including Bali) found nearly 5,000 reef contacts; about 41% caused visible harm, showing even “responsible” diving adds up fast. BrahMos Missile Talks: India’s defence secretary says a BrahMos deal with Vietnam is already signed (not yet publicly announced) and an Indonesia pact is in final stages, with values not disclosed. PRAGATI 2026 Drill: A 72-hour counter-terrorism validation exercise in Meghalaya brought 400+ troops from 13 nations, including Indonesia, to train in mixed teams and boost interoperability. Indonesia Health Policy: The Health Ministry added colorectal cancer screening to the National Free Health Checkup for ages 45+ at high risk, using questionnaires plus digital rectal exams and FOBT. SIM Registration Upgrade: Indonesia will start SIM registration with facial biometric recognition on July 1, 2026, verified via Dukcapil. Academic Integrity Concern: Indonesian researchers face scrutiny after alleged fabricated studies used to secure travel grants and present at an international medical symposium in Denmark.

Indonesia–France Deals: President Prabowo returned to Jakarta after a Paris visit that produced four commercial deals worth US$3.5B, plus a new France-Indonesia High-Level Business Council aimed at boosting investment and trade. Education & Research: The same trip also set priorities for cooperation in higher education, science, technology, and innovation, including easing academic mobility. AI in Healthcare: AstraZeneca and Roche Diagnostics will expand AI pathology for breast and lung cancer across nine Asian markets, including Indonesia, with training focused on HER2 and TROP2 assessment. Energy & Industry: Indonesia inaugurated key facilities in Batam for its first large-scale wind-to-electricity conversion project tied to the Tennet 2GW HVDC effort. Resource Nationalism Watch: Indonesia is pushing export duties and windfall taxes to plug fiscal gaps, but analysts flag regulatory bottlenecks and local pushback in mining regions. Climate Risk: A report warns a Super El Niño could intensify Asia’s energy stress by cutting hydropower and disrupting water-intensive industries, with knock-on effects for food and livelihoods. Digital Safety: UN human rights experts urged safer-by-design protections for children online, warning that access bans alone can be bypassed.

Renewables & Grid Buildout: Indonesia inaugurated key facilities in Batam for its first large-scale wind-to-electricity project, supporting the Tennet 2GW HVDC plan and highlighting local engineering and thousands of jobs. Defense Manufacturing: PT PAL began preproduction for the Scorpene Evolved submarine program with Naval Group, aiming to strengthen Indonesia’s maritime deterrence. Maritime Tech: SLB and Vår Energi expanded a digital push to speed oil & gas decision-making via connected well planning and field development workflows. Cyber & Fraud: The Global Signal Exchange (GSE) showcased at ScamReady ASEAN, bringing governments and major tech firms together to disrupt online scams faster using shared threat signals. AI Governance: A new UN push urges urgent action to protect children online, calling for safer platform design and stronger regulation. Health (Neonatal Care): Indonesian researchers reviewed immediate kangaroo mother care for premature/low-birth-weight babies, weighing outcomes and barriers to routine adoption. Society & Safety: Islamic extremists halted a church service in Yogyakarta, underscoring ongoing tensions around religious permissions. Tech & Business: Indonesia-Japan energy cooperation got a boost via Japan’s APEC funding for cleaner, resilient energy solutions. Space/Science Buzz: Skywatchers get a rare “blue micromoon” moment this weekend.

Indonesia–France Education & Tech Ties: President Prabowo told schools to teach French at all levels, citing growing science and technology cooperation and global stability needs. Climate Risk: The UN’s WMO warns global warming is likely to exceed 1.5°C through 2030, with more record heat, drought and destructive floods. Heat & Energy Pressure: Asia’s heatwave demand is straining coal and gas markets as air-conditioning surges amid the Iran-related energy crunch. Inclusive Planning: A SMERU study finds vulnerable groups (women, people with disabilities, elderly) are still underrepresented in Indonesia’s regional planning forums, urging stronger gender mainstreaming. Palm Oil Export Policy Uncertainty: Palm firms say they’re waiting for implementing rules after a new “single exporter” export governance policy. Biodiversity Watch: Two Sumatran elephants (adult and calf) were found dead in South Sumatra; investigations continue. Urban Development: Summarecon Bandung wins a regeneration award for an integrated, transit-linked township near the Whoosh rail station.

Indonesia–France Strategic Talks: President Prabowo met Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée, backing a two-state solution for Palestine and discussing defence, clean energy, education, and research. EV Supply Chain Push: Indonesia will involve automotive component SMEs in the EV ecosystem, with industry ministry talks in Cikarang to link local suppliers to EV demand. Renewables in Batam: Indonesia backs its first wind energy conversion project in Batam, aiming to grow offshore wind component fabrication and investment. Digital Economy + Water Stress: Indonesia warned that AI infrastructure, data centres, and mining for digital devices could strain water resources as demand doubles with scaling. Android App Rules: Google plans tighter Android app installation requirements in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, pushing verified developer registration while keeping some advanced install paths. Healthcare Supply Study: A UT San Antonio study found low-cost training for frontline health workers can cut contraceptive stock-outs by about 30%. Geopolitics & Security: Pacific Partnership 2026 began, with the US Navy leading a humanitarian and civic assistance mission across Indo-Pacific countries, including planned stops in Indonesia. Local Research on Diabetes/Hypertension: Andalas University researchers are testing combinations of medicinal plants (cinnamon, ground cherry, Dayak onion) for metabolic conditions, moving toward further safety and mechanism work. EV Scooters Launch: VinFast introduced three swappable-battery scooter models in Indonesia with preorders and a deposit offer.

AI Infrastructure & Jobs: Indonesia’s Transmigration Ministry says it’s ready to build qualified talent for Batam’s Rp88 trillion AI data center investment, stressing skills, integrity, and local benefit. Digital Governance: Jakarta’s traffic enforcement is moving toward facial recognition tied to Dukcapil, raising surveillance concerns as ETLE expands. Biotech Milestone: Antengene received China’s CDE endorsement to start the pivotal Phase III CLINCH-3 study of ATG-022 for CLDN18.2+ advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer. Retail Tech Expansion: Zus Coffee debuts in Indonesia via Jakarta’s Puri Indah Mall, partnering with Kapal Api Group and scaling its app-based model across Southeast Asia. Conservation Watch: Sumatran elephants in Bengkulu are still dying, with habitat loss and human conflict blamed as deaths since 2018 reach at least seven. Energy & Trade Debate: A new Indonesia–US ART agreement sparks sovereignty concerns, with critics warning it could reshape policy under U.S. strategic interests. Geopolitics & Shipping: The Strait of Hormuz and Malacca remain key chokepoints as Asia weighs resilience, technology, and security flashpoints.

Indonesia–RoK AI Healthcare: Indonesia and South Korea move from MoU to implementation on AI-powered primary healthcare and AI HR development, with pilots planned for Indonesia’s mountainous and island regions later this year. Cloud & AI Investment: Amazon says it will invest $33B+ across Southeast Asia through 2039, including major cloud/AI infrastructure in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Palm Oil Crackdown: Indonesia launches a crackdown on palm oil giants over alleged export under-invoicing and transfer pricing, using AI tools to spot more cases. Education & Research Integrity: Universities are spreading data from fake ranking sites, highlighting ongoing problems with research credibility. Health & Nutrition Science: Studies suggest guava juice may help anaemic women absorb iron supplements better, boosting hemoglobin. Energy + Food Co-Production: Research points to fishery photovoltaic complementary integration—solar panels over aquaculture—to generate clean power without major extra land use. Security & Training Tech: Italy and ITPS Canada set up a privately operated Leonardo M-346 fighter trainer fleet in North America with digital lead-in fighter training. Regulation Watch: Spain blocks Polymarket and Kalshi over gambling authorization issues, as regulators tighten the prediction market space.

AI Governance Push: Indonesia’s deputy communication minister Nezar Patria says AI shouldn’t just chase business gains—Indonesia wants an AI ecosystem that protects society, democracy, and the digital public space, with stronger AI literacy and safety as a core priority. Digital Disinformation Risk: A West Papuan activist says an Indonesian nationalist account used AI-generated fake footage to target her and spread misleading claims tied to a documentary on land grabs and rights abuses. Connectivity Upgrade: Biznet deployed Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme on its BNCS-1 submarine cable to boost inter-island capacity to 400G and improve the Batam–Singapore gateway. Health Tech & Research: A review in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health finds guava juice plus iron supplements improves hemoglobin more than iron alone—while EMVision’s portable stroke scanner gets RFDS “on the fly” endorsement. Markets & Macro: Stocks leaned tech-strong as hopes for a US-Iran deal lifted sentiment, even as currency pressure and oil swings kept investors cautious.

Social Media Crackdown: Labour in the UK is set to announce rules limiting children’s access to social platforms within weeks, after a consultation and AI-assisted review—potentially affecting Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Roblox and messaging apps. Coral Conservation Reality Check: A new study finds scuba tourism is damaging reefs more than people realize—over 80% of harmful reef contacts were unintentional, with divers in Indonesia and the Philippines making thousands of reef touches. Indonesia Enforcement: Indonesia seized hundreds of kilograms of mercury hidden in “carpet” shipments bound for illegal mining in the Philippines, underscoring how gold prices keep fueling toxic supply chains. Defense & Tech: Thales delivered Indonesia’s first GM403 long-range air surveillance radars, expanding archipelago air monitoring. AI Ecosystem Push: Google Cloud is backing a Southeast Asia-to-Silicon Valley AI startup corridor with government partners. Climate & Food Risk: MUFG warns the Philippines could be hit hard by “super” El Niño plus tighter Fed conditions. Energy Transition Tension: A report argues the clean-energy shift can repeat extractive harms on Indigenous lands.