BRIN calls for synergy to boost defense technology

hartono · Mar 26, 2026

Screenshot - Deputy Chair of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Amarulla Octavian, in a research professor inauguration event in Jakarta on Wednesday (June 25, 2025). /ANTARA/Sean Filo Muhamad/Youtube BRIN.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chair of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Amarulla Octavian called for stronger research synergies in defense equipment development to enhance technological capabilities and strengthen Indonesia’s defense system.

In a statement issued in Jakarta on Thursday, he said the future of defense would no longer be determined by the quantity of equipment, but by technological superiority and the ability to integrate systems.

Octavian highlighted the increasingly complex and multidimensional nature of global conflicts, noting that modern warfare has shifted from conventional methods toward multi-domain operations involving land, sea, air, cyber, and outer space.

“This shift is driven by technological advances such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and the growing importance of information dominance, which have become key factors in gaining strategic advantage,” he said.

He also referred to the use of military technology in recent conflicts, including the Russia–Ukraine war and tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, where missiles, drones, and countermeasure systems have played a central role in shaping battlefield outcomes.

According to Octavian, mastering such technologies depends on the development of semiconductors and rare-earth elements, which underpin many modern weapon systems.

He said strengthening research in these areas is crucial to achieving greater self-reliance in national defense.

Octavian added that BRIN is mandated by law to conduct research that supports technological advancement, including in the defense sector.

“In this context, BRIN is ready to serve as a bridge between defense needs and national research capacity,” he said.

He also emphasized that technological superiority has become a force multiplier in modern defense systems.

“Countries that master advanced technologies will have stronger deterrence capabilities and greater adaptability in responding to a wide range of threats,” he said.