Heaptalk, Jakarta — DesktopIP, an Indonesian tech company, fully supports the government’s vision for Indonesia Digital 2045. This initiative aims to pave the way for national digital development, which can further embody digital sovereignty.
Developing national digital technology is crucial to reducing dependency on foreign digital technologies, which are dominated mainly by the US and China. Research from the University of Bonn, Germany, revealed that most countries in the world currently have a high rate of digital dependency, demonstrated by a number of medium-sized technology powers, including Germany, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, France, and Australia, deal with their different degrees of vulnerability to China and the US in the field of digital technologies.
Increasing digital dependency
The study by Prof. Maximilian Mayer and Yen-Chi Lu found that the US is the least digitally dependent country, with a digital dependence index (DDI) of 0.47, followed by China and South Korea. Meanwhile, European nations have maintained a highly vulnerable status while their gaps in autonomy with the US, China, and South Korea widen.
The findings also demonstrate that 87% of countries were highly vulnerable to digital technologies. Although the global dependency structure appears remarkably stable over time, substantial changes have occurred. China, South Korea, Russia, Kenya, and the US have become more autonomous over the last decade. In contrast, Japan and Indonesia experienced a remarkable increase in digital dependency, while the positions of the other 16 countries changed slightly.
Considering the facts, building and optimizing national digital technology is crucial, which is one factor in achieving Indonesia Digital 2045. As part of its support, DesktopIP has introduced the Digital Sovereignty Stack framework, designed to achieve sovereignty in digital technology. “This framework is not solely a technical combination. When we talk about sovereignty stacks, it usually involves only a technical matter, but this is a mix of all technical and non-technical aspects, with the most fundamental being willingness,” said Phidi Soepangkat, CEO of DesktopIP.
Shifting from captive to competitive market
The Digital Sovereignty Stack framework comprises five sequential elements, starting with the most fundamental: Willingness, Research and Development (R&D), Product Ownership, Market Share, and International Benchmarking. Currently, the company has developed products such as Jaybod (cloud storage), IfvLynx and IfVirty (cloud infrastructure), and Qubiql (productivity platform).
Moeldoko, former Chief of the Executive Office of the President (KSP), applaused DesktopIP’s initiative and expressed his support for implementing the Digital Sovereignty Stack framework to achieve digital sovereignty. He conveyed this during the launch of a collaboration between DesktopIP and Maju Maritim Indonesia to digitalize the maritime sector.
“We shouldn’t only have digital technology but digital sovereignty. Our R&D must be strong to create our products. The transition from captive to competitive, from solely a market to a provider. We must be role models and set international standards. None of this can happen without willingness, as encapsulated in the Digital Sovereignty Stack framework,” said Moeldoko.
Focusing on trust and security
Prof. Eko Kuswardono Budiardjo, a lecturer and researcher in software engineering at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of Indonesia, emphasized that dependency on foreign digital technology, including infrastructure, could make the businesses is more vulnerable, particularly by considering two points, development and pricing. Therefore, Indonesia needs to own and develop its digital technology.
Prof. Eko also highlighted two critical aspects of bolstering digital sovereignty in Indonesia: trust and security. “Trust can be built by understanding user segmentation. Digital products don’t need the most advanced features but must meet the minimum requirements based on user needs. Equally important when talking about sovereignty is security, meaning it must be hard to breach. This will enhance trust. Trust and security are ways to amplify this potential,” he told Heaptalk.
Additionally, Prof. Eko emphasized that human capital is crucial for any software company. “The most important thing now is human capital—how DesktopIP can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of everyone involved. That needs to be nurtured,” he added.
Meeting user demands and business aspects
In alignment with this statement, Farosa, a Senior Cryptographer at the Directorate of Cyber Security and Industrial Encryption of Indonesia’s Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), underlined the importance of developing digital infrastructure as the foundation for Indonesia Digital 2045.
Farosa explained to Heaptalk, “The Digital Sovereignty Stack concept developed by DesktopIP could solve the numerous technological gaps that need addressing in Indonesia. The key is how this concept can meet user demands while considering business aspects, such as operational costs charged as service fees to users.”
If this proposal effectively addresses Indonesia’s technological challenges, Farosa is optimistic that the government will support it by issuing policies requiring critical Indonesian services to adopt this technology. “Similar to what the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) and the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) did with Govtech under Presidential Decree No. 82 of 2023 for the implementation of government-owned digital services,” he concluded.
