AGP Executive Report

Indonesia–China Defence & Tech Talks: Jakarta and Beijing held 2+2-style meetings in Jakarta, agreeing to deepen military cooperation and coordinate on minerals, energy, satellites and AI, while Indonesia keeps its “free and active” balancing act. EV Industrial Push: The government’s Molinas framework aims to build an end-to-end domestic electric motorcycle ecosystem, targeting local component manufacturing to close the adoption gap. Aviation Weather Upgrade: Vaisala expects a €25m BMKG airport weather systems order, upgrading equipment across 14 airports to improve safety in Indonesia’s tropical and volcanic conditions. Wildlife Conservation Reset: Vantara (Anant Ambani’s rescue centre) announced governance changes after criticism, including moving away from animal imports toward in situ conservation. Climate & Health Watch: Reports warn super El Niño could intensify heat and drought and worsen health risks like dengue spread via faster mosquito and virus cycles. Tech Consumer Brief: Xiaomi launched the Redmi 17 4G in Indonesia with a 7,500mAh battery, 45W fast charging and a 120Hz 6.9-inch display. AI Misinformation Alert: AFP flagged an AI-made whale nursing clip circulating on TikTok, urging caution with wildlife content online.

Indonesia–China diplomacy: China’s FM Wang Yi meets Indonesian counterparts in Jakarta for a “2+2” foreign and defence dialogue, with security, politics and economic issues on the agenda as Indonesia tries to balance Beijing and Washington. D-8 tech and research ties: D-8 Secretary-General Sohail Mahmood wraps talks in Ankara with Türkiye, pushing institutional partnerships and sectoral cooperation across statistics, socioeconomic research and capacity-building. Indonesia creative economy goes global: Indonesia’s Creative Economy Ministry teams up with ION to help creators reach international digital markets, with support for cross-border trade, IP protection and AI integration. Space & recovery: SpaceX successfully tows its Starship launch vehicle from the Indian Ocean after weeks at sea, moving it toward analysis before return to Texas. Climate watch: Multiple reports flag a record-strong El Niño forming, with knock-on risks for drought, monsoons and global food and weather impacts. Disaster science: A 5.4 quake hits Flores Region, adding to the week’s seismic activity. Conservation with culture: On Seram Island, the Huaulu community shifts a sacred cockatoo ritual from hunted feathers to naturally shed ones, easing pressure on an endangered bird. Smart grids expansion: Willfar sets up a smart-grid subsidiary in Casablanca to scale energy and utility metering solutions across Africa and the Middle East. Tech policy readiness: A look at Southeast Asia’s AI regulation shows Indonesia still mixes national guidance with sector rules, while others move faster with clearer frameworks.

Electric Mobility Policy: Indonesia set four criteria for its National Electric Motorcycle (MOLINAS) program: >60% domestic components, local design/engineering, nickel-based batteries, and affordable pricing to grow a domestic EV ecosystem. Public-Sector AI Training: BPOM and the University of the Republic of Indonesia (URI) are exploring AI-focused education, including a BPOM vocational school and AI decision-simulation labs to build drug and food supervision talent. Solar Push for Industry: Indonesia is prioritizing solar power for greener industrial transition, targeting ~100GW in 2–3 years and accelerating “de-dieselization” on small islands, with Germany flagged for tech and capital goods. Energy & Health Supply Chain: Indonesia and Germany partner to locally produce Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women to cut stunting, with Bayer investing Rp99B to expand R&D and production lines. Environment Tech for Enforcement: Research using underwater acoustic monitoring and AI is quantifying destructive bomb fishing off Sulawesi, showing blasts can be detected over long distances and occur at higher rates than expected. Bilateral Tech Cooperation: Bulgaria and Indonesia discussed technology transfer, investment, drones, space/satellite tech, and joint production in high-tech sectors. Disaster Science: BRIN says post-disaster disease control must be tailored to disaster type (volcano vs floods), focusing on different risk drivers like rats or sanitation and mosquito breeding sites.

Aerospace & Defense: Indonesia’s Defense Ministry plans to turn Kertajati Airport in West Java into an MRO hub for TNI AU fighter jets, starting with C-130 Hercules and aiming to build domestic maintenance capacity and tech transfer. Earth & Resilience: A 5.7 quake hit Flores Region, Indonesia (GFZ), adding to a week of strong seismic activity that has already raised concerns about housing safety and disaster response. Conservation vs Exports: Indonesia’s renewed push to export long-tailed macaques is reigniting the debate between research/quotas and conservation worries. Energy & Industry: Indonesia’s nickel market outlook for 2026 points to tighter ore quotas but continued downstream supply, keeping prices capped around an LME average of $17,800–$18,000/t. Tech & Policy: Google is rolling out stricter Android sideloading rules starting Sept. 30 for users in Indonesia (and others), requiring extra steps for apps from unverified developers. AI Infrastructure: CoreWeave opens its first Asia-Pacific cloud footprint with three Indonesia data centers totaling 360 MW, as the region’s AI data-center race accelerates. Climate Risk: Research warns a “super” El Niño could bring drought to some cities and flooding to others across Asia, with food and water impacts likely. Education & Governance: Kaduna State University disputes claims that 200 lecturers quit over poor conditions, saying only 59 staff left since Jan 2024 and urging dialogue over strikes.

Defense & Aerospace: Indonesia is pushing weapons maintenance self-reliance after GMF completed heavy maintenance on an Air Force C-130H Hercules, with Lockheed Martin tech transfer cited; the government also plans a Kertajati MRO hub to become a main center for maintaining fighter jets. Road Safety Tech: The government is preparing Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems to enforce its zero ODOL policy in 2027, aiming to cut accidents and reduce the huge cost of road damage from overloaded trucks. Digital Economy & Fraud: Security researchers warn scammers are using fake airline/government websites to trick victims into installing Android malware that can read SMS and drain bank accounts. Health & Biotech: Recce Pharmaceuticals secured Australian HREC approval to expand its Phase 3 diabetic foot infection trial with a new active-controlled arm comparing its topical gel against physician-selected antibiotics. Fintech & Banking: SeaBank Indonesia’s Q2 profit more than tripled as lending and fee income rose. Logistics & Payments Policy: Indonesia plans to regulate on-demand food and courier delivery fees on tech platforms via a presidential regulation expected in September. AI & Infrastructure: Tencent plans its first cloud region in Malaysia, while Alibaba added a third data center in South Korea as AI workloads drive capacity demand. Education & Workforce: Indonesia highlights vocational education ecosystem priorities, including skills, tech adaptability, learning infrastructure, governance, and graduate outcomes. Science Communication: An international volcanology team published a review to clear up common misconceptions about volcanoes and hazards.

Android & Mobile Security: Google is rolling out Android’s “advanced” sideloading flow, adding a one-day waiting period before installing apps from unverified developers in places including Indonesia ahead of September developer verification. Digital Policy & Kids Online: A new investigation says Meta staged influencer events to argue against teen social media bans, with similar tactics reported across multiple countries; meanwhile, U.S. states seek about $200B from Meta over child addiction claims. Space & Earth Observation: Indonesia’s Lampung-1 satellite—built with Chinese partners and involving BRIN—aims to monitor farms and coasts, with onboard analysis sending actionable results rather than raw images. Biotech & Public Health: Dengue control efforts expand as Baguio considers a pilot using Wolbachia bacteria to block mosquito transmission. Earthquakes & Volcanology: A 5.2 quake struck Flores; separate reports also describe eruptions from Mount Ibu, Lewotobi Laki-Laki, and Semeru. Biopharma Deal: Henlius and Sandoz announced a global biosimilar commercialization partnership covering up to 10 assets. AI & Cybersecurity: Kaspersky reports Gen Z uses AI heavily but takes fewer consistent safety precautions, raising privacy and scam risks.

AI & Digital Identity: France’s top court blocked a plan to ban social media for under-15s, warning that online age verification would force everyone to prove identity—raising privacy concerns. Human Rights & Minerals: A new report says Indonesia logged the most allegations of human rights and environmental abuses tied to Chinese transition-mineral investments (mostly nickel) from 2023–2025, with work-related deaths and injuries concentrated in processing. Earthquake Response: Indonesia’s universities are mobilizing relief for Flores quake victims, setting up command posts, deploying medical teams, and coordinating supplies. AI Infrastructure in Indonesia: Nexa Core pitched a “chip-to-application” AI stack at a Jakarta tech expo and explored joint AI chip development with ICDeC. Voice AI Growth: Deepgram plans an APAC HQ in Singapore to expand production-grade Voice AI across markets including Indonesia. Cybersecurity: IBM reports ASEAN breach costs hit a record $4.12M in 2026 as AI-driven attacks rise. Climate & Flood Modeling: New research challenges assumptions in global flood maps by showing river “bankfull” filling varies systematically with climate. Energy Transition: BRIN highlights palm-waste biogas potential from POME to cut methane and pollution.

Flores Earthquake Response: A fresh 5.9 quake hit Indonesia’s Flores as thousands still slept outdoors after the deadly 7.7 temblor, with authorities reporting thousands displaced and hundreds of homes and public facilities damaged. AI & Youth Safety: Discord suspended livestreams in Brazil after child-safety scrutiny, adding to the global push for stronger protections for minors online. Social Media Regulation: A U.S. appeals court allowed thousands of lawsuits against Meta and TikTok to proceed, arguing platforms may have fueled harmful addiction dynamics for young users. Digital Trade (ASEAN): PILA and TOTM Technologies plan a verifiable-credentials platform to speed cross-border letter-of-credit checks, aligning with ASEAN’s digital trade goals. Indonesia Tech Policy: Indonesia is pushing a full-stack AI development strategy and digital sovereignty agenda, aiming to move from AI adoption to building local capability. Data Centers: Asia-Pacific’s data-center pipeline hit a record 26.5 GW in H1 2026 as AI and cloud demand accelerates, with Indonesia included in the growth map. Climate Watch: El Niño is strengthening fast, with Indonesia flagged among regions likely to feel near-term weather impacts.

Indonesia Earthquake Response: A fresh magnitude 5.9 aftershock hit Flores early Monday, about 10 km deep, as Indonesia’s disaster teams were still working after the deadly 7.7 quake that has pushed the death toll to at least 54 and left thousands displaced. AI Funding Gap in SEA: Singapore leads Southeast Asia AI fundraising with about US$9.3B in disclosed equity funding, while Indonesia trails at roughly US$6M—highlighting capital access differences more than innovation. Heavy-Duty Embodied AI Results: CiDi reported 97% revenue growth in 1H 2026 and sharply improved gross profit, moving closer to break-even after its shift toward scaled commercialization. EV Retail Expansion: VinFast signed a JV deal with Indonesia’s Gowa Motor Group to expand showrooms and service centres—aiming for at least 30 new outlets. Food & Protein Investment: JBS and Danantara Investment Management agreed a US$2.5B commitment for a 25% stake in a venture focused on upgrading Indonesia’s meat processing and protein supply chain. Digital Payments in Indonesia: Indonesia expands QRIS fee relief and launches a domestic credit card, aiming to boost local payment adoption. Global Tech Policy Watch: A US appeals court cleared thousands of social media addiction lawsuits against Meta and TikTok to proceed, keeping pressure on platform design claims.

Earth & Health: Researchers testing sea salt sold across Lombok found microplastics in every sample, with coarse salt showing higher contamination—another sign plastic pollution is reaching everyday food. AI & Research: Indonesia’s first university-based AI technology center opened in Yogyakarta: Kemkomdigi, Indosat, NVIDIA and UGM launched the UGM Indosat NVIDIA AI Technology Center (NVAITC) to boost applied AI research and talent. Disaster Response: The EU pledged Copernicus satellite support for Indonesia’s Flores earthquake search-and-rescue, offering rapid disaster mapping as response teams deal with landslides and damaged infrastructure. Aerospace & MedTech: BRIN is refining the N219 and amphibious N219A ecosystem for Prabowo’s “flying ambulance” plan, while also developing long-endurance drones for future emergency logistics. EV & Industry: VinFast and Indonesia’s Gowa Motor Group signed an MoU to build VinFast’s dealership and service network in Indonesia, targeting at least 30 showrooms and service centers. Energy & Materials: BRIN is also working on artificial graphite from coal waste for battery raw materials to support Indonesia’s EV ecosystem. Geoscience: A 5.0 quake jolted Flores Region, adding to a week of strong seismic activity.

BRIN & Aerospace for Healthcare: Indonesia’s research agency BRIN is refining the N219 and amphibious N219A ecosystem to support Prabowo’s flying ambulance plan, including STOL operations and long-endurance drone work for remote medical logistics. BRIN & EV Materials: BRIN is also developing artificial graphite from coal waste for lithium-ion battery raw materials, alongside EV and motorcycle prototypes aimed at accelerating Indonesia’s EV ecosystem. Coastal Resilience via Universities: Prabowo has pushed universities to join the Giant Sea Wall effort on Java’s north coast, with ITB, IPB, Undip and ITS feeding hydrodynamic modeling, coastal engineering and material innovation into field pilots. Dual Citizenship Policy Signals: Indonesia’s state secretary says Prabowo’s limited dual citizenship proposal is still under study and would be “highly selective,” not an automatic or easy pathway. Cyber Awareness Gap: A Thailand-focused survey shows mobile cybercrime awareness is high, but threats still surge—Indonesia sits mid-pack, highlighting the need for faster device and app protections. Earthquake Response Tech: A 6.0 quake hit the Gulf of Tomini after the Flores-area disaster, with Indonesia’s seismology and disaster agencies tracking aftershocks and tsunami risk. Meta Child Safety Ruling: A US court ordered Meta to pay an additional $567M over failures to protect children online, adding pressure on platform design and safeguards. EV/Tech Market Signals: MG’s Hector Tomahawk EV was spotted ahead of launch, while Google’s new Android sideloading verification rules are set to tighten app installs in Indonesia and other markets.

Android Security: Google starts mandatory developer verification for sideloaded apps on certified Android devices in Indonesia and other markets, adding friction for scammers ahead of broader rollout. Earthquake Response: A 7.7 quake off Flores killed at least 47, triggered tsunami warnings later lifted, and left power outages and aftershocks; a 6.8 quake hit Northern Sumatra hours later. AI & Industry: Indonesia’s push for AI capability and digital skills keeps expanding, while Indonesia’s AI Technology Centre links government, Indosat, Nvidia, and UGM. Investment Infrastructure: Indonesia plans an Indonesia Financial and Investment Center in Jakarta first, then Bali, aiming to boost investment, fintech, and dispute resolution. Energy & Tech Supply Chains: Indonesia’s rare-earth and critical-minerals focus continues as governments chase processing capacity, not just mining. Food & Risk: JPMorgan warns the next global food crisis could build from war, weather, fertilizer constraints, and waste—pressuring prices into 2027. EV Market Signals: GAC and Chery show Indonesia’s EV demand is shifting toward practical, locally tuned models, with “listening first” product development.

Earthquake Watch: A 7.7-magnitude quake struck Indonesia’s Flores region early Saturday, triggering tsunami warnings that were later lifted after sea-level checks; reports mention deaths, collapsed buildings, and dozens of aftershocks as teams assess damage. Disaster Science: Researchers link the quake to the Flores Thrust fault system, a reminder of Indonesia’s high-risk “Ring of Fire” geography. Research Push: Indonesia’s BRIN says it has boosted the national research budget by Rp4 trillion and showcased 150+ products across energy, health, aerospace, AI, and materials to President Prabowo. Mineral Market Reform: BMKS, planned to start in 2027, aims to set Indonesia’s own reference prices for minerals and strategic commodities to reduce reliance on overseas exchanges. EV & Industry Policy: The government’s 2027 budget framework targets 5.8–6% growth, with spending aimed at MSMEs, cooperatives, food security, and the MBG program. Digital Cooperation: India’s DoT will host the BRICS ICT Track in Pune (Aug 17–21) to advance secure, inclusive digital ecosystems, with Indonesia among member states. Tech & Society: A U.S. appeals court cleared thousands of social media addiction lawsuits against Meta and TikTok to proceed, intensifying scrutiny of platform design and youth harm.

Earth & Climate: A powerful 7.7 quake struck off Indonesia’s coast, triggering a tsunami warning, while a separate 6.2 quake hit Flores; meanwhile South Sumatra forest and land fires jumped to 1,926 hectares by July, with satellite-based monitoring flagged as a key tool for response. Renewables: Solar overtook wind in global electricity generation for the first time in 2025, with renewables supplying about one-third of the world’s power. AI & Digital Infrastructure: Indonesia is rolling out a full-stack AI strategy built around five layers—energy, infrastructure, chips, talent and applications—aiming to move beyond adoption into domestic capability. Cloud Strategy: Southeast Asia CIOs are shifting from “cheap cloud” to strategic infrastructure for AI readiness, control and resilience. Energy & Industry: Bidders are competing for major subsea packages on Inpex’s Abadi LNG project, as Indonesia’s gas megaprojects push toward investment decisions. Data Centers: Malaysia is developing palm oil-based immersion cooling fluid to cut water and energy use in data centers. Conservation Tech & Impact: Rescued Sumatran orangutans released into protected forest are now breeding and forming a new wild population. Policy & Finance: Prabowo announced an Indonesia Financial Center in Jakarta and Bali, targeting fintech, investment and arbitration under international standards.

AI Research in Indonesia: Kemkomdigi, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Nvidia and UGM launched the UGM Indosat NVIDIA AI Technology Center (NVAITC), a first university-based hub for AI research, innovation and talent. Rural Infrastructure: President Prabowo announced a push to build 5,000+ village bridges and expand clean water access, with TNI and Polri already contributing. Education for Global Work: Prabowo said foreign-language lessons will start in first grade, targeting English plus Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French and Russian. EV & Mobility Tech: XPENG debuted the AI-powered L03 in Indonesia at GIIAS, while Indonesia also rolled out its national electric motorcycle program, Molinas. Climate & Public Health Watch: El Niño is expected to peak at a dangerous time, and Indonesia’s wildfire risk is rising; meanwhile dengue/chikungunya prevention reminders continue amid mosquito breeding conditions. AgTech Push: Beanstalk AgTech launched Monsoon Ventures to help Southeast Asian agtech scale from pilots to market.

Electric Mobility Push: Indonesia launched the national electric motorcycle program (Molinas), with Prabowo framing it as “Indonesia Incorporated” and Danantara signaling lower-rate, longer-tenor financing plus possible cuts to the 10% down payment. Waste-to-Energy Debate: Danantara’s Rp87T waste-to-energy plan is criticized for tackling downstream disposal while Indonesia still struggles with upstream waste reduction and household sorting. AI + Sports Science: BRIN is backing sports science with AI to optimize athlete strategy, training, and performance support systems. Climate Watch: El Niño is strengthening toward a “very strong” and possibly “historic” event, raising risks for drought and wildfires. Cybersecurity Roundup: ThreatsDay highlights new campaigns targeting guest access in Salesforce and ServiceNow portals, plus broader cloud/AI/malware and scam trends. Digital Finance & Fraud: OpenAI-linked reporting warns agentic financial fraud is stressing cross-border enforcement, a key issue for ASEAN. Trade & Markets: MSCI removed GoTo from key indexes due to Indonesia’s 50-ruiah price floor making passive trading impractical. Energy Infrastructure: A major subsea cable damage incident near Perth underscores how critical undersea links are—and the need for better protection.