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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Economy & Trade

President Calls for Batam's Transformation into Global Maritime and Investment Gateway

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • President Prabowo Subianto met with BP Batam leaders to accelerate Batam's transformation into a new national economic growth engine.
  • The plan includes modernizing ports and developing an international port to integrate with industrial areas and global shipping networks.
  • Batam's investment realization reached Rp 69.3 trillion in 2025, with Q1 2026 seeing Rp 17.48 trillion, a 102.85% increase year-on-year.

President Prabowo Subianto is pushing for Batam to become a new engine for national economic growth, aiming to transform the island into a global hub for maritime activities and investment. During a meeting with BP Batam leaders in Jakarta, the President emphasized Batam's potential to serve as a model for national development through industrialization, deregulation, and streamlined investment processes.

Batam must become a model for implementing national agendas through downstreaming, industrialization, deregulation, accelerating investment, and logistics efficiency. Batam's advantages must be built on legal certainty, speed of service, and globally competitive infrastructure.

— President Prabowo SubiantoDescribing the vision for Batam's economic transformation.

Key to this vision is the modernization of Batam's ports, including plans for an international port. This facility is intended to act as a national logistics hub, seamlessly integrated with high-tech industrial zones, data centers, and global shipping routes. Such developments are expected to reduce logistics costs, boost export competitiveness, and solidify Batam's position in global supply chains.

Through various reforms, BP Batam targets Batam to become a more productive, organized, and competitive region, while strengthening its role as a center for investment, industry, and trade that contributes significantly to the national economy.

— Amsakar AchmadReporting on BP Batam's goals following regulatory strengthening.

BP Batam leadership reported significant progress, attributing it to regulatory reforms and improved investment services. Investment realization in Batam reached Rp 69.3 trillion in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, investment grew to Rp 17.48 trillion, marking a substantial 102.85% increase compared to the same period last year. Investment is increasingly concentrating in value-added sectors like electronics, machinery, data centers, and energy.

BP Batam assesses that strengthening governance will increase legal certainty, accelerate investment services, and strengthen investor confidence in Batam as an investment destination.

— Li Claudia ChandraExplaining the impact of digitalizing the Land Management System.

President Subianto also directed Batam to become a pilot project for national investment reform, incorporating digitalization, risk-based supervision, and enhanced integrity within the region. The President pledged to coordinate cross-ministerial efforts to address strategic issues, from regulatory harmonization to the development of the international port, underscoring the government's commitment to Batam's strategic role.

The President also directed that Batam become a pilot project for national investment reform through service digitalization, risk-based supervision, and strengthening regional integrity.

— Fary Djemy FrancisDetailing the President's directives on investment reform.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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