Jakarta, INTI - The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) revealed that Indonesia still remains heavily dependent on Singapore as the main route for global bandwidth traffic. Approximately 90% of Indonesia’s internet traffic still passes through Singapore, making it one of the most critical nodes in Indonesia's digital connectivity ecosystem.
The Director of Digital Infrastructure Policy and Strategy at Kemkomdigi, Denny Setiawan, assessed this situation as a serious challenge in strengthening national digital sovereignty. He stated that Indonesia needs more alternative routes to avoid over-reliance on a single international hub.
"Honestly, 90% of our traffic depends on Singapore," said Denny.
This dependency is a particular concern amid the surge in national internet demand, driven by the growth of digital services powered by big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Several regional telecommunications industry reports also indicate that Southeast Asia is currently one of the regions with the fastest internet traffic growth in the world, further increasing the burden on key connectivity routes.
Singapore has been known as one of the largest internet exchange hubs in Asia, with submarine cable infrastructure connecting countries across the Indo-Pacific. This means that most traffic from Indonesia is carried by Singapore before connecting to the global network.
The Government’s Strategy to Reduce Dependence
To mitigate the risk of this dependency, the Indonesian government is currently promoting a network route diversification strategy. This effort includes developing and mapping new submarine cable routes, as well as strengthening the land cable network spread across Indonesia’s archipelagic landscape.
"We are trying to align the roadmap for data centers, submarine cables, and land cables, all on the same frequency," explained Denny.
Indonesia has great potential to become one of the largest digital economy centers in Southeast Asia. This can be achieved by not relying on a single hub.
"Indonesia has the potential, and the moment is now because everyone is competing to become an AI data center. The Minister has a vision for us to become number one in AI in ASEAN, so we are taking it one step at a time, starting with frequencies, submarine cables, and then applications. We remain confident and optimistic," said Denny.
Conclusion
Indonesia heavily relies on Singapore as a major global internet traffic route, with approximately 90% of national traffic passing through the country. Kemkomdigi considers this situation a challenge to Indonesia's digital sovereignty, especially amidst increasing bandwidth needs due to the growth of cloud services, big data, and AI. To mitigate the risk of dependence on a single international hub, the government is encouraging connectivity diversification through the construction of submarine cables and landline cable networks throughout Indonesia.
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