Indonesia's quality infrastructure climbs to 28th worldwide

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's quality infrastructure ranking improved from 34th to 28th out of 155 countries, according to the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development (QI4SD) Index 2024 report released by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

This advancement places Indonesia second in the ASEAN region, sixth in East Asia and the Pacific, and ninth among APEC member countries.

Acting Head of the National Standardization Agency (BSN) Y. Kristianto Widiwardono stated here on Tuesday that the achievement reflects global recognition of Indonesia's increasingly effective and credible management of the standardization and conformity assessment (SPK) system, which significantly contributes to enhancing national competitiveness.

"This achievement shows that our approach is correct. When accreditation is placed as a foundation of trust and welcomed by the market, then MSMEs will also gain a stronger base to develop," Widiwardono remarked.

With a QI4SD index score of 60.7, Indonesia is viewed as having a quality system that is increasingly capable of supporting various public policy objectives.

Quality infrastructure encompasses systems that support industrial development, enhance trade competitiveness, promote efficient use of resources, as well as protect consumers, health, and the environment.

Several provisions in the quality infrastructure include standardization, accreditation, metrology, conformity assessment, and SPK policies.

Indonesia's ranking in each pillar of quality infrastructure based on the 2024 QI4SD report shows varying achievements in various aspects.

In terms of standardization, Indonesia is ranked 57th. For conformity assessment, Indonesia is ranked 27th. Meanwhile, in the accreditation pillar, Indonesia holds the 19th position.

For metrology, Indonesia is ranked 45th, while in the quality policy pillar, Indonesia is ranked third globally.

Widiwardono explained that this ranking demonstrates the national quality system is not only developing rapidly but has also become an important instrument in encouraging sustainable development, including empowering MSMEs.

He affirmed that the BSN actively facilitates MSMEs in meeting global quality standards.

Under BSN Regulation Number 9 of 2023, the Product Certification Institution (LSPro) is required to make the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) certification process easier for MSMEs, such as by reducing audit personnel, streamlining schedules, and lowering the number of test samples.

By the first quarter of 2025, BSN had assisted 46 MSMEs in implementing SNI to meet export requirements, and out of that number, 29 MSMEs have successfully penetrated the export market.