In brief
On 29 October, PHOENIQS AG and Indonesia’s Nongsa Digital Park signed a memorandum of understanding to develop sovereign AI capabilities in Southeast Asia. The partnership will bring Swiss‑built AI supercomputers and quantum‑enhanced data centers to Batam, targeting banking, telecom and smart manufacturing. The deal formalises Indonesia’s push for data sovereignty amid geopolitical tensions, but details on implementation timelines and specific technical solutions remain unclarified.
On 29 October in Basel‑Landschaft, Switzerland, PHOENIQS AG and Indonesia’s Nongsa Digital Park in Batam signed a memorandum of understanding to develop sovereign artificial intelligence capabilities in Southeast Asia.
The agreement, announced by the Indonesian Embassy in Bern, grants Phönix AG, a Swiss sovereign cloud and AI service provider, the role of a technology partner. Nongsa Digital Park, a special economic zone for the digital economy, will host the facilities, while Phönix will bring its AI supercomputer technology.
In the signing ceremony, PHOENIQS AG Executive Chairman Thomas Taroni and Nongsa Digital Park Chief Business Officer Marco Bardelli exchanged the MoU in the presence of Thomi Jourdan, President of the Government of the Canton of Basel‑Landschaft, and Ngurah Swajaya, Indonesian Ambassador to Switzerland.
“As Southeast Asia’s largest economy, with a population of 280 million, a young demographic, and high digital connectivity, Indonesia is not just a potential market but a perfect laboratory for large‑scale, AI‑based digital technology innovation,” Swajaya said, welcoming the MoU signing.
Ngurah Swajaya further highlighted Swiss strengths: precision technology, independent supercomputing capabilities and a track record of adopting best practices in high‑performance computing. He noted that “through strategic cooperation, Indonesia and Switzerland are using the momentum of 75 years of diplomatic relations to once again develop a complementary and mutually beneficial partnership.”
The partnership aims to strengthen Indonesia’s digital sovereignty by enabling data owners to store and process AI‑based data on sovereign cloud infrastructure. PHOENIQS AG’s technology, previously applied to telecommunications and infrastructure projects, is described as “independent operating system developer” that promises full control over data, distinct from data residency.
Under the MoU, Nongsa Digital Park will provide the physical environment—international and regional connectivity, supercomputer‑based data center space, and a conducive regulatory framework. PHOENIQS AG will deliver the hardware and software for the AI supercomputer, with quantum technology components for enhanced processing power.
Both parties cited the rising demand in banking, telecommunications and smart manufacturing for AI solutions as key drivers. They emphasized that the agreement could help meet these needs by delivering localized, secure AI services within Indonesia’s borders.
While the MoU establishes the overall framework, it does not specify concrete timelines, milestones or the exact technical specifications of the anticipated AI supercomputers. The application of quantum technology to the infrastructure, the allocation of investment capital, and the deployment schedule remain topics open for further negotiation.
Thus, the deal represents a significant step forward for Indonesia’s ambition to build sovereign AI infrastructure, but the precise roadmap, cost structure, and execution plan are yet to be publicly detailed.
