The Indonesia Report launch and policy dialogue on “Indonesia’s Strategy for Safeguarding Cross-Border Personal Data Transfers to the United States Without Compromising Sovereignty or Data Protection” took place on 28 October 2025 at Hotel Ashley, Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta. The event was organized by LIRNEasia, together with Northbound Strategies (Indonesia), with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada).
This timely discussion brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to examine how Indonesia can enable cross-border data flows while maintaining the principles of digital sovereignty and compliance with the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law. The event was conducted in both English and Bahasa Indonesia to ensure inclusive participation.
The dialogue opened with a keynote address by Alfreno K. Ramadhan, Special Staff to the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) of the Republic of Indonesia.
Alfreno K. Ramadhan delivering the keynote address.
This was followed by presentations from Pranesh Prakash (LIRNEasia) and Ibrahim K. Rohman, PhD (University of Indonesia), who shared insights from national and regional research on cross-border data governance.
Pranesh Prakash providing an overview of regional research on cross-border data governance.
Ibrahim K. Rohman, PhD sharing insights from Indonesia’s country research.
A high-level panel discussion featured Hendri Samita Yuda (Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Indonesia), Brigitta Ratih E. Aryanti (Mastercard Indonesia), Ardhanti Nurwidya (Vriens & Partners), and Bhredipta Socarana (Centre for Digital Society, Gadjah Mada University). They explored the implications of Indonesia’s new data transfer commitments to the United States and the balance between economic openness and digital sovereignty.
The open discussion session, held under Chatham House rules, allowed participants to share frank and constructive perspectives on policy challenges and opportunities. Policy responses were provided by Rizki Nauli Siregar (University of Indonesia) and I Made Krisna Gupta (National Economic Council), followed by a synthesis session highlighting preliminary recommendations for future data governance frameworks.
The discussion brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers for an impactful and engaging exchange of ideas.
The discussion focused on how Indonesia can balance innovation, economic growth, and national protection as it advances its cross-border data governance framework. Participants highlighted that while models like the GDPR offer valuable lessons, Indonesia requires a proportionate, context-specific approach that supports interoperability without compromising safeguards. The conversation underscored gaps in regulatory implementation, the need for coordinated institutions, and the importance of risk-based mechanisms to ensure secure and trusted data flows.
The speakers and team behind the successful organization of the policy dialogue.
A policy note summarizing the key takeaways and recommendations from the event can be found below.
The research presentations shared at the forum are available below for your reference.
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