Batam’s data centre boom is just getting started, with caveats

BATAM is having a tech moment.

Once known primarily as an industrial outpost and a weekend getaway for those living in Singapore, the Indonesian island about 45 km from the city-state is now emerging as South-east Asia’s newest data centre destination.

Global backers, private equity firms, and telecom operators are pouring capital into Batam. Investment in nine data centres in Nongsa Digital Park, the island’s special economic zone, was at 38 trillion rupiah (S$2.82 billion) as of April 2025, local media reports say. No official figures have been disclosed, however.