On December 19, 2025, Indonesia’s National Research Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional/BRIN) reinforced a powerful message that could reshape Papua’s future: Indonesia must build its own technology, not just borrow it. This commitment goes beyond headlines, it points to strategic choices for the nation’s technological landscape.
At a recent National Coordination Meeting on Spaceport Development, BRIN leaders and government partners gathered to chart the future of a spaceport project in Biak, Papua as part of a broader push toward technological sovereignty.
BRIN Head Arif Satria emphasized that this initiative aligns with the President’s direction for national self-reliance, particularly in technology, adding that such developments will help Indonesia reduce its reliance on foreign space launch facilities, a dependency that has persisted since the 1970s.
His vision goes beyond rockets and satellites. BRIN sees technology as a strategic pillar for sustainable development, including green and blue economy sectors, which are also relevant for Papua’s abundant natural resources.
Biak as a Space City
Papua’s Biak Numfor is expected to become the nation’s launching ground for Indonesia’s own space missions, a milestone project now targeted for realization between 2026 to 2030.
BRIN envisions Biak not just as a technical facility but as a space-technology hub or “Space City” that capable of driving balanced economic growth across eastern Indonesia.
For communities in Papua, this could mean:
- Jobs in advanced sectors that blend science, engineering, and local expertise
- New education and training pathways for young scientists and technologists
- Economic diversification beyond traditional agriculture and resource extraction
In other words, technology independence isn’t just a national goal, it’s become a locally strategic opportunities.
From Laboratory To Everyday Life
BRIN’s commitment to technological independence also stretches into how innovation moves from lab to real-world applications. Through initiatives like the upcoming Rumah Inovasi Indonesia (House of Innovation), a nationwide innovation hub, BRIN aims to connect researchers, industry players, investors, and communities.
This “hub” is designed to ensure that Indonesian science doesn’t just stay in academic journals, but becomes products, startups, and solutions for the benefit everyday life, whether in health, agriculture, energy, environmental or space resilience.
Why This Matters for Papua
Papua sits at the crossroads of Indonesia’s future, not only geographically but also technologically. A stronger national research ecosystem that includes regional talent means:
- Young Papuans can see careers in science and innovation without leaving home
- Local challenges (like natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and disaster response) can be addressed with technologies developed with and for Papuan communities
- Space technology rivalries do not remain abstract, they become tools for local empowerment
BRIN’s renewed commitment to independence, from launch pads in Biak to innovation hubs across the archipelago, offers a fresh narrative: technology is not just built elsewhere and delivered here. It can be grown here.
This is the kind of vision that turns regions like Papua from observers of progress into participants, innovators, and builders of tomorrow.
https://news.republika.co.id/berita/t7jv9v430/brin-tegaskan-komitmen-kemandirian-teknologi
West Papua Now 