Can nations still grappling with gaps in basic infrastructure, such as electricity, clean water, roads, bridges, sidewalks, healthcare, and internet connection, truly participate in the digital transformation?
As global actors race to capture the benefits of the digital age, technology has become the foundational layer for almost every aspect of modern life. State administration and public services are no longer exceptions; they are becoming digital by default. In this context, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) emerges not just as a technical upgrade, but as a critical mechanism for equity.
What is DPI?
At its core, DPI is the foundational digital architecture—comprising digital identity, transaction layers, and data exchange systems—that enables public services to function at scale. This is as defined by the latest “2025 State of DPI Report” from the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) at University College London (UCL).
The strategic importance of DPI is solidified by the Global Digital Compact, agreed by 193 UN Member States and adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2024. The document frames DPI as the primary engine for inclusive innovation and digital transformation.
On the other hand, the ‘2025 State of the DPI Report’ also reveals a starkly uneven DPI landscape. Of the 210 countries surveyed, the distribution remains fragmented: only 64 possess DPI-aligned identity systems, 97 have functional payment layers, and 103 utilize standardized data exchange.
Current trends favor high-income countries that can afford the high cost of entry. Because DPI demands sustained investment in technical expertise, regulatory agility, and institutional capacity, there is a growing risk that resource-limited nations will be sidelined. For the Global Majority, the challenge is not just implementation, but securing the continuous resources needed to prevent further systemic exclusion.
Indonesia and Its Latest DPI Developments
As Indonesia prepares for the potential to host the 2027 Global DPI Summit, the nation’s landscape presents a compelling case study in ambition, asymmetry, and its potential role as a leader in DPI among emerging economies.
As the world’s third-largest democracy and largest archipelagic state—comprising 38 provinces, over 17,380 islands, and with a population of 284 million—Indonesia’s scale is its greatest challenge. While national internet penetration reached a milestone of 80.66% in 2025, this figure masks a deep internal divide. The connectivity enjoyed in Western Indonesia, particularly Java, stands in stark contrast to the 3T regions (Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost), where basic infrastructure, including digital infrastructure, remains a primary barrier.
Beyond connectivity, the challenge is systemic. Presidential Regulation No. 63 of 2020 identifies 60 regencies as ‘underdeveloped,’ characterized by limited financial capacity, strained human resources, and inadequate facilities. For these regions, DPI is not just a technological luxury; it is a vital necessity to bridge the gap between their unique regional characteristics and national-scale development.
Despite the challenges mentioned above, Indonesia continues to pursue its hopes and aspirations in the digital era. Indonesia has begun its work on DPI. This is evident in the existence of the Government Digital Transformation Acceleration Committee (KPTDP). KPTDP is a non-structural institution under the President, established through Presidential Decree No. 83 of 2025 to coordinate, align, and accelerate the digital transformation of public services in Indonesia through GovTech AI and to strengthen digital infrastructure.
Last April, this Committee, along with the Minister of Social Affairs, the Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Head of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and representatives from other agencies, discussed the positive impact of the Social Protection Portal (Perlinsos). Perlinsos is an initiative that seeks to digitalize the social assistance (bansos) distribution process, starting in Banyuwangi, East Java. The review shows more than 9,600 residents in Banyuwangi participated to ensure the accuracy of their data and directly experienced a more participatory, transparent, and accountable social assistance distribution process.
Digital Divide in Asia: The Context of People with Disabilities
To understand the systemic potential of DPI, we must broaden our scope to the diverse nations surrounding Indonesia.
KETEMU operates at the intersection of grassroots needs and digital policy, starting with a deep commitment to Asia’s varied landscape. We recognize that Asia possesses unique cultural, economic, and institutional characteristics that are often overlooked in global digital debates. Our work seeks to elevate these regional perspectives, ensuring that digital policies are both locally relevant and globally informed.
For example, our team has long been concerned that discussions on Artificial Intelligence (AI) leaving out people with disabilities in the region. In our team’s neighbourhood, currently spread across Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam, we notice that there are at least 31 million people with disabilities. Furthermore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that in 2024, 16% of the world’s population, or approximately 1.3 billion people, live with disabilities. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) also states that approximately 750 million people are living with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region in 2026.
If digital solutions are not grounded in the specific socio-technical conditions of marginalized populations, they will inevitably deepen societal divides. Technology designed without a focus on resource-constrained nations and vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, women, and the aging population, serves to automate inequality, widening the gap between the digitally empowered and those left at the frontier of the infrastructure divide.
Building Momentum: Indonesia as the Next Host of Global DPI Summit
To answer the question at the start of this inquiry, we need to examine the intersection of two pivotal developments: Indonesia’s emerging leadership as the prospective host of the 2027 Global DPI Summit and the evolving global discussion on safe, inclusive DPI.
Indonesia is reportedly set to be the next host for the Global DPI Summit in 2027. The Global DPI Summit is a platform that promotes the DPI journey in various countries through knowledge sharing and multistakeholder collaboration within the DPI ecosystem. The Summit is organized by a host country in conjunction with Co-Develop, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Bank.
The Global DPI Summit will continue discussions established between participants from more than 100 countries in South Africa (2025) and Egypt (2024). Specifically, the next Global DPI Summit will build upon previous discussions on how DPI development can deliver tangible benefits to communities and economies.
Related to this, the “DPI Safeguards Initiative” report released in April 2026 by the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies and the UNDP emphasized that for at least the next two years, all elements of the DPI ecosystem must work together to ensure that privacy, inclusion, and human rights are central to DPI implementation.
Given that momentum, KETEMU recommends that Indonesia, as the prospective host, along with its fellow organizing institutions, to address:
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- Global frameworks and grassroots realities: Take a proactive role in shaping a DPI discourse that bridges the gap between high-level global frameworks and grassroots realities of resource-constrained environments.
- Inclusive and meaningful participation: Ensure that the voices of vulnerable groups—from Indonesia, the Asian region, and the broader Global Majority—are not just heard but structurally integrated into the Summit’s agenda. Their participation is vital to ensuring that the future of DPI is built with them, not just for them.
Implementing the above recommendations is essential to shape global DPI discussions to transcend technical implementation and achieve a vision of safe and inclusive DPI. By prioritizing these principles, Indonesia and the Global DPI Summit in 2027 can act as a catalyst for genuine equity and facilitate a digital ecosystem that connects diverse communities and nations rather than accelerating global disparities.