Indonesia champions technology-driven development for vulnerable communities at BRICS Summit
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto emphasized that technology must expand development access to underserved populations, speaking alongside President Prabowo Subianto at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Indonesia champions technology-driven development for vulnerable communities at BRICS Summit
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stressed that technology must be directed toward expanding access to development, particularly for vulnerable communities facing economic and service limitations, during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
"Resilient development must benefit everyone, particularly communities that need it most. We must utilize technology and innovation so no part of society is left behind," Hartarto said in a statement on Monday, speaking alongside President Prabowo Subianto at the summit held on September 12-13.
Indonesia joined BRICS as the 10th full member in January 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian nation to formally join the bloc. The summit, marking the 20th anniversary of BRICS since its establishment, brought together representatives from 11 member countries with a combined population of approximately 3.9 billion people, representing nearly half of the world's population.
Digital transformation as key instrument for inclusive development
According to Hartarto, who has served in his position since October 2019, digital transformation is a key instrument for expanding development benefits by improving access to services and connectivity. He emphasized that technology can help extend development benefits to communities that have so far been left behind.
The minister's remarks carry particular weight given Indonesia's ongoing digital challenges. According to Central Statistics Agency data, 72.84% of households in Indonesia had internet access by the end of 2023, though significant disparities persist between urban areas (64.10%) and rural regions (35.90%).
Hartarto cautioned that digital transformation must be inclusive to ensure that technological advances do not deepen existing inequalities. In this context, BRICS cooperation can help strengthen knowledge exchange and access to technology, particularly for developing countries.
Indonesia's role in BRICS and economic partnership
The bloc collectively accounts for approximately 41% of the global economy when measured by purchasing power parity. Indonesia's 2024 trade with BRICS nations totaled approximately $150 billion, with top exports including palm oil, coal, natural gas, and rubber.
On the second day of the summit, President Prabowo participated in a session themed "Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth." India is hosting the summit during its fourth BRICS Chairship under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," which it assumed on January 1, 2026.
While the first day's session was limited to full BRICS members, the second day also brought together partner countries, outreach countries, and various international organizations.
Integrated approach to sustainable development
At the forum, Prabowo emphasized the importance of ensuring coherence among policies on sustainable development, climate change mitigation, and disaster risk reduction. According to Prabowo, the three agendas should be integrated into a mutually reinforcing policy framework to ensure that development outcomes can withstand future risks.
Beyond promoting resilient and inclusive development, Indonesia called on BRICS to play an active role in discussions and negotiations on the direction of the global development agenda beyond 2030.
Indonesia urged BRICS to go beyond serving merely as a forum for discussing development challenges and instead promote concrete cooperation that delivers a direct impact on the public. The New Development Bank, founded by BRICS in 2014, has disbursed $22.4 billion from its $42.9 billion approved portfolio and raised $16.1 billion in bond issuances in 2024 alone, with a 30% local-currency lending target for 2025-2030.
Given the combined population and economic scale of its member countries, BRICS has significant potential to help shape a more inclusive global development agenda, Indonesian officials noted.