Jakarta (ANTARA) – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said that Indonesia is prioritizing comprehensive national technological capabilities, rather than merely increasing the number of various research products.
“BRIN is not simply about having a multitude of products; rather, Indonesia is building national technological capabilities in sectors such as food, energy, health, water, defense and security, the environment, industry, and human resource quality,” the Head of BRIN, Arif Satria, said during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Thursday.
To support this robust foundation of capabilities, the agency has prepared a highly adequate and globally recognized research infrastructure ecosystem.
According to Satria, the ecosystem includes facilities for a nuclear reactor, the largest observatory in Southeast Asia, the region’s best genomics laboratory, and a high-performance computing center ranked among the world’s prestigious top 500.
This research capacity is further supported by various advanced testing facilities covering technologies for aircraft, trains, and rockets, as well as maritime engineering, he continued.
As a tangible manifestation of these technological capabilities, he noted that BRIN has achieved a remarkable breakthrough in the energy sector.
This innovation has the potential to reduce the nation’s reliance on natural gas imports through the application of Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) technology.
“Based on our preliminary calculations, this technology has the potential to save approximately Rp26 trillion (around US$1,4 billion) annually on the LPG subsidy burden,” he said.
Satria added that the country is stepping up its aerospace capabilities through projects such as the BRIN NEO-1 satellite, which is scheduled for launch in early 2027.
“This is crucial for independently generating satellite imagery data to support agriculture, forestry, marine affairs, disaster mitigation, and maritime surveillance,” he explained.
Satria then emphasized that the agency’s capability-building efforts extend beyond existing technologies to preparing for future developments, including ensuring the availability of human resources for the eventual use of nuclear energy.
“BRIN must start building nuclear technology capabilities now so that, when Indonesia decides to develop nuclear power plants, we will not be starting from scratch or merely purchasing technology,” he remarked.
On the same occasion, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that mastery of science and technology is the key to a nation’s progress.
According to the president, mastering science and technology is inseparable from the quality of education. Therefore, he identified education as the most vital foundation for developing a superior workforce.
“Regarding the mastery of science and technology, education is certainly the foundation, the most important and fundamental,” Prabowo noted.
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Translator: Sean Filo M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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