Jakarta Futures Forum 2025 Wraps Up with Focus on Energy Transition and Global South Innovation
Main Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — The Jakarta Futures Forum 2025 concluded on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 5–6, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, featuring seven panel discussions ranging from energy transition and digital innovation to geopolitical resilience and cross-border trade in the Global South.
Leaders, scholars, and policy experts from across Asia, Africa, and Europe emphasized inclusive growth and global collaboration, with a recurring call for developing nations to define new models of innovation and governance.
Financing the Next Phase of Energy Transition
The first session, titled From Innovation to Inclusion: Financing the Next Phase of the Energy Transition, stressed the need for all-technology approaches—from renewables and conventional fuels to carbon capture and nuclear power—to ensure secure and equitable energy access.
“The heart of this transformation is the urgent need to mobilize large-scale, risk-tolerant capital flows to secure energy futures in developing countries,” said Terri B. Chapman, a researcher at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, who moderated the session.
Panelists emphasized that a successful and just transition requires a blend of public, private, philanthropic, and multilateral funding to diversify energy portfolios while maintaining cost-effective emissions reductions.
Speakers included Hakimul Batih of the OECD, Vietnam Economic Association Vice President Bui Quang Tuan, Liliana Śmiech of Hungary’s Ludovika University, and Thailand’s Suthikorn Kingkaew from the KBU Research Institute.
- Indian Ambassador for Indonesia Sandeep Chakravorty speaks during Jakarta Futures Forum, Jakarta, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
BRICS Trade and Global Supply Corridors
The second session, Trade Relations: BRICS, Africa, and the Next Frontier in Global Commerce, addressed the strategic urgency of building resilient and cost-efficient trade corridors across developing economies.
“This urgency stems from a cascade of disruptive events—from the COVID-19 pandemic to armed conflict in West Asia,” said Rami Desai, Distinguished Fellow at the India Foundation.
Qingxin Lan, Director of the BRICS Research Center, argued that BRICS nations—especially with Africa’s growing participation—hold a unique opportunity to lead infrastructure-focused trade financing, guided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
- Sinderpal Singh, Philips J. Vermonte, Lisa Singh, Ashok Malik, and Sunaina Kumar attend Jakarta Futures Forum, Jakarta, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
Rethinking Food Security in the Indo-Pacific
The third panel, Seeds of Change: Rethinking Food Security in the Indo-Pacific, explored how national food policies and tech-based distribution models are reshaping food systems across the region.
India’s large-scale public procurement and delivery frameworks are improving access to food, while innovation in agri-tech, logistics, and e-commerce is transforming farm-to-table dynamics. Still, global value chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, climate change, and growing protectionism.
“Food systems must evolve to become inclusive, adaptive, and future-ready,” said Pamla Gopaul of AUDA-NEPAD South Africa.
Chhavi Rajawat, Secretary of NEISSS India, highlighted India’s push to empower rural youth through agri-startups. “This includes providing funding opportunities, which I believe is incredibly encouraging,” she added.
Safeguarding the Blue Commons
The fourth session, Securing the Blue Commons: Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, addressed escalating tensions from the South China Sea to the Red Sea.
With the U.S. and China reshaping maritime calculations, regional actors like Indonesia, India, Australia, and Japan are seen as pivotal in establishing an inclusive maritime order.
“This session highlights the need for Indo-Pacific powers to step up and co-create a resilient regional maritime architecture,” said Nilanthi Samaranayake of the East-West Centre, USA.
Connecting the South: Trade, Oceans, and Digital Gateways
Session five, The New Silk Arc: Connecting Oceans, Markets, and the Global South, explored strategic trade corridors linking the Indo-Pacific to the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Africa.
“Projects like IMEC, Global Gateway, and ASEAN-Africa bridges mark a new era of transregional integration powered by resilient infrastructure, supply chains, and financial cooperation,” said Julia De Clerck-Sachsse of Sciences Po Paris and the German Marshall Fund.
The session spotlighted how plurilateral partnerships and digital public infrastructure (DPI) can reshape global connectivity and reposition the Global South in global trade.
DPI as Catalyst for Innovation in the Global South
India’s DPI ecosystem—covering digital IDs, payments, and data exchanges—has unleashed rapid innovation and produced several unicorns. Indonesia’s own DPI framework is now recognized as a regional model.
“India, Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa have championed DPI adoption during their respective G20 presidencies,” said Erin Watson, Managing Director at Baker & York Australia.
Several emerging economies are building DPI frameworks, while developed nations have shown interest in supporting such tools for inclusive digital growth.
T. Koshy, CEO of India’s Open Network for Digital Commerce, added a cautionary note: “Policy-makers often misunderstand tech. Just try canceling a trip online—it’s near impossible. That’s how fast and confusing the regulatory landscape can be.”
What’s Next for 2026?
In the closing session, 2025: The Year of Surprises—What Lasts, What Breaks, and What Lies Ahead?, participants discussed global inflection points.
“As the world recalibrates geopolitically, geo-economically, and institutionally, we must monitor the trends, pressures, and pivots that will shape 2026,” said Harsh Pant, Vice President of Studies and Foreign Policy at India’s Observer Research Foundation.
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