Indonesia Aims to Strengthen Sci-Tech Partnerships with Iran for Innovation Growth

In a recent meeting at the University of Tehran, the Indonesian Ambassador to Iran, Roliansyah Sumirat, highlighted the importance of enhancing scientific, technological, and educational collaborations between Indonesia and Iran. This significant discussion comes as both nations celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, emphasizing the need to transition their partnership from political alliances to robust technological cooperation.

Sumirat underscored that “relations between Tehran and Jakarta need to be upgraded from political to technological cooperation,” according to reports from IRNA. He elaborated on the necessity to minimize scientific dependency on developed nations by establishing a collaborative framework in critical areas such as:

• Information Technology
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Clean Energy
• Marine Sciences

Moreover, the Ambassador referenced the shared memberships of both countries in key international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement, and BRICS. He emphasized that fostering synergy and collaboration is essential for addressing the challenges faced by the Islamic world and the broader global community.

In his address, Sumirat also called for the strengthening of ties in various crucial fields such as:

• Maritime Governance
• Energy Security
• Climate Change
• The Blue Economy

He articulated a vision where the sea serves as a unifying factor, fostering a model of sustainable development between the two nations. Furthermore, the Indonesian ambassador expressed his country’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, stating, “Indonesia defends the right of all countries to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Contributing to the dialogue, Seyed Hamzeh Safavi Homami, a faculty member at the University of Tehran, reiterated the significance of enhancing relations, particularly through academic collaborations facilitated by memorandums of understanding.

Boosting Technological Ties

In a bid to strengthen economic relations, a branch of the Iranian House of Innovation and Technology (iHiT) was inaugurated in Jakarta last September. This initiative aims to enhance the export of knowledge-based products and is supported by the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-based Economy, along with the Organization for Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology. The launch coincided with the 37th Indonesia Hospital Expo, held from September 25 to 28, as reported by ISNA.

During the second Ministerial Meeting of the OIC-15 Dialogue Platform, which took place from May 18 to 20, an Indonesian delegation led by Brian Yuliarto, the Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, visited the technology park at the University of Tehran. This visit aimed to familiarize the delegation with the achievements of Iranian knowledge-based companies across various sectors, including:

• Engineering
• Medicine
• Biotechnology
• Industry

During the meeting, Yuliarto discussed potential collaborations with Iran’s Science Minister, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, emphasizing Indonesia’s willingness to adopt Iran’s technological advancements. He expressed interest in developing joint research projects in:

• Industry
• Medical Equipment
• Vaccines
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Biotechnology

With Indonesia’s population exceeding 280 million and its notable achievements in agriculture, particularly in large-scale rice production, Yuliarto expressed Indonesia’s readiness to share its expertise with Iran. The discussions also included exchanging professors and postgraduate students and visiting scientific centers to further enhance academic cooperation.

Simaei-Sarraf emphasized the technological capabilities of both countries in AI and proposed leveraging available data to develop a collaborative network aimed at advancing technological progress. He welcomed Indonesia’s investment in science and technology sectors and discussed the establishment of joint technology parks, along with providing necessary technical consultations to facilitate this collaboration.

These discussions mark a promising step toward deepening the relationship between Indonesia and Iran, aiming for a future built on shared knowledge and innovation.