Indonesia-Singapore Agrees to Develop Batam-Bintan-Karimun into Digital Hub

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia and Singapore have officially agreed to boost their economic cooperation, particularly in developing the Special Economic Zone in Batam, Bintan, and Karimun (BBK). This agreement was one of the key outcomes of the 16th Singapore-Indonesia Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups Ministerial Meeting (6WG MM), held at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, and Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, held a joint press conference after chairing the meeting. Both ministers discussed the achievements of the six economic working groups.

These groups focus on investment, transportation, tourism, labor, agribusiness, and the development of the BBK region. Regarding the BBK region, Coordinating Minister Airlangga emphasized that investment growth in the Batam, Bintan, and Karimun areas is showing a positive upward trend.

Airlangga stated, “Bilateral cooperation in the BBK in 2025 amounts to 5.7 billion US dollars in investment, an increase compared to the previous year. The Batam Free Trade Zone has expanded from 8 to 22 islands. Additionally, Nongsa Digital Park will continue to be developed for expansion.”

Alongside the island expansion and the development of the Nongsa Digital Park, Singapore also expressed a strong commitment to the project. Deputy Prime Minister Gan, emphasized that the collaboration between the two countries focuses on comprehensive digital transformation, not just physical investments.

“Singapore and Indonesia have been working together to transform BBK, Batam, Bintang, and Karimun region into a vibrant digital hub. And we will jointly undertake a tech sector study to identify opportunities and develop concrete recommendations to develop BBK further,” Gan said.

This strategic technology sector study is expected to accelerate the implementation of the BBK Regional Development Master Plan. This long-term plan, which extends through 2045, is backed by a strong legal foundation under Presidential Regulation No. 1 of 2024, serving as the framework for its development.