ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore to strengthen the development of globally competitive talent at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ), marking another step in the country’s strategy to transform its economic zones into regional centers for innovation, higher education, and technology.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Singhasari SEZ and IIM Bangalore was witnessed on Monday by Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Secretary Susiwijono Moegiarso, representing Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto.
The partnership forms part of Indonesia’s broader economic agenda to achieve 8% annual growth, with the government placing greater emphasis on developing highly skilled human capital, expanding innovation, and strengthening collaboration between industry, academia, and government.
“Achieving Indonesia’s 8% growth target requires stronger investment, higher productivity, greater innovation, and globally competitive human resources,” Susiwijono said during the signing ceremony in Jakarta.
He said the initiative aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s national development priorities, which identify education, science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key drivers of long-term economic competitiveness.
Indonesia has increasingly repositioned its Special Economic Zones beyond their traditional role as industrial estates. As of the first quarter of 2026, the country’s 25 SEZs had attracted cumulative investment of Rp353.3 trillion (about US$21.8 billion), generated employment for 266,688 workers, and hosted 471 businesses.
Singhasari SEZ, Indonesia’s first Special Economic Zone dedicated to the digital economy, education, and technology, has emerged as one of the country’s flagship innovation ecosystems. The agreement with IIM Bangalore follows an earlier partnership with King’s College London, reinforcing its ambition to become a regional hub for advanced education, research, digital technology, and entrepreneurship.
The collaboration also expands Indonesia–India cooperation already underway at Singhasari, including initiatives such as the Cyber Defense Academy and the Mumbai–Malang Creative Tech Corridor. The projects reflect growing bilateral engagement in digital technology, education, investment, and innovation.
Economic relations between Indonesia and India continue to deepen. Bilateral trade reached US$23.2 billion in 2025, while trade during the first four months of 2026 totaled US$7.9 billion, underscoring the expanding strategic partnership between Asia’s two largest democracies.
Officials said the new partnership is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s higher education ecosystem, foster closer collaboration between universities and industry, and produce globally competitive talent to support the country’s long-term economic transformation. (AT Network)
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