Microsoft announces plans to establish its first data center region in Indonesia to serve Southeast Asian markets.

Microsoft is establishing its first data centre region in Indonesia to deliver trusted cloud services locally. The initiative, called Berdayakan Ekonomi Digital Indonesia (empowering Indonesia's digital economy), will enable businesses to access Microsoft's cloud services faster and store data within the country. The data centre region is equipped with "world-class data security and privacy" according to the company.

As part of the initiative, Microsoft will train an additional three million Indonesians to achieve its goal of empowering over 24 million Indonesians by the end of 2021. The training is delivered through the company's long-established skills programmes, designed to create inclusive economic opportunities in the digital era. The curriculum focuses on AI, cybersecurity, and data science through digital literacy training that extends across diverse populations, including students and teachers, mid-career professionals, home makers, and people from disadvantaged communities.

According to research from International Data Corporation, Microsoft's investment in Indonesia is expected to generate up to US$6.3 billion in new revenues from the country's ecosystem of local customers and partners. The company's cloud-consuming businesses are projected to contribute 60,000 jobs to the local economy over the next four years. This investment comes as Indonesia's digital economy was projected to reach US$40 billion in 2019.