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View all search resultsIndonesia has a new data law. Now comes the hard part
Passing the SDI Law is only the beginning. The real challenge is in translating national standards into operational practices across the country's vast and diverse government institutions.
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Energy munchers: Towers containing graphics processing units fitted with a closed-loop liquid cooling system operate on Feb. 4, 2026 at a Microsoft data center in Karawang, West Java. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
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n data governance, moving data between government institutions is only one stage of a much larger data life cycle. Even the most advanced data exchange platforms cannot function effectively without reliable information, consistent standards and adequate security safeguards. Connecting government systems without addressing how information is collected, classified, maintained, protected and reused risks reproducing existing inefficiencies on a larger scale.
On Oct. 6, Indonesia reached an important milestone with the passage of the One Data Indonesia (SDI) Law, strengthening the legal foundations for these interconnected aspects of data governance.
The significance of this legislation extends well beyond administrative reform. As Indonesia accelerates the development of digital public infrastructure (DPI) and the adoption of artificial intelligence in public services, reliable and well-governed data will become increasingly essential.
With the country set to host the Global DPI Summit in Bali in March 2027, the new law is particularly timely. The summit offers an opportunity to showcase Indonesia's digital transformation ambitions and strengthen international partnerships aimed at developing secure, interoperable and trustworthy digital infrastructure.
Yet passing legislation is only the beginning. The real challenge lies in translating national standards into operational practices across Indonesia's vast and diverse government institutions.
The country has already made significant progress toward integrating its digital government systems. Presidential Regulation No. 39/2019 established the SDI framework, while Presidential Regulation No. 82/2023 accelerated the integration of digital public services, including initiatives under INA Digital. The SDI Law builds on these efforts by providing a stronger legal foundation for national data standards, metadata, reference information, institutional accountability and secure data sharing.
However, effective interoperability requires more than connecting digital platforms. Information must be accurate, consistently classified and maintained throughout its life cycle to be useful across government institutions.
