The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) says the success of data center development should not be measured only by the size of megawatt capacity. Deputy Minister Nezar Patria said success should also be judged by the value created, the number of innovations that can grow, how widely local companies can use the facilities, and how tangible the benefits are for society.

Nezar made the remarks at the launch of Equinix JK1 Phase 2 in Jakarta on Tuesday (10/11/2026).

Four principles for building data centers

1. Connected to the ecosystem and national needs. Data centers should be platforms that bring together connectivity, cloud, applications, data, talent and users. Strong interconnection helps Indonesian companies reach global markets and allows AI solutions to be developed closer to Indonesia's context.

2. Reliable, secure and resilient. As critical infrastructure, power reliability, network resilience, cybersecurity, data protection, redundancy and disruption recovery plans must be part of the design from the start. Nezar said capacity growth must go together with higher standards of reliability and governance.

3. Efficient and sustainable. Expansion should be planned together with stronger power grids, renewable energy use, cooling efficiency, water management and reduced electronic waste.

4. Inclusive with local impact. Data center investment should foster digital talent, open room for national suppliers and workers, and widen access for local startups and developers. “Indonesia must not only be a place where infrastructure sits and technology is used; Indonesia must also be a place where solutions, services and innovation are born,” Nezar said.

AI is reshaping infrastructure needs

Nezar acknowledged that very fast AI development is changing the map of digital infrastructure needs. AI, he said, is no longer confined to research labs or an add-on feature in an app but has entered health, education and the creative industries. That makes four interlinked foundations more urgent to strengthen: connectivity (energy and digital infrastructure), compute (AI chips, data centers and cloud computing), context (relevant data and applications) and competence, or digital talent.

Capacity demand growing fast

Nezar said global data center capacity demand is growing 19% to 22% a year over 2023–2030, with Asia-Pacific one of the main growth centers; McKinsey estimates the region could account for about 34% of global demand by 2030. In Indonesia, total data center capacity is currently close to 600 megawatts and is projected to exceed 2 gigawatts by 2029. That is still somewhat below Malaysia, which Nezar said has already reached around 3 gigawatts. “This momentum of the race is what we need to look at strategically,” he said.

He stressed that data centers must not stand apart but be connected with telecom operators, cloud providers, app developers, startups, research institutions, universities, the financial sector, and public- and private-sector users. That way AI can turn from a technology that is adopted into productivity people feel, for example for SMEs, health and education services, food security, manufacturing and logistics efficiency, and public services.

Sources

• Megawatt Bukan Ukuran Keberhasilan, Wamen Nezar Ungkap Empat Prinsip Pembangunan Data Center — Bisnis.com, 11 November 2026. https://teknologi.bisnis.com/read/20261111/101/2020186/megawatt-bukan-ukuran-keberhasilan-wamen-nezar-ungkap-empat-prinsip-pembangunan-data-center