Delegation to Singapore and Indonesia Bolsters Cooperation on IP

A senior INTA delegation traveled to Jakarta and Singapore from August 24 to 27, 2026, pairing government engagement in Indonesia with a strong presence at Singapore IP Week and a consultation with the region’s intellectual property (IP) offices. The delegation was led by INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo, accompanied by 2013 INTA President Aung Toe Su and Asia Pacific Chief Representative Officer Walter Chia. As August 25 was an Indonesian public holiday, the Jakarta engagements were concentrated into a single, full day on August 24.

Jakarta: Engagement at the Ministerial Level

In Jakarta, the delegation called on the Minister of Law, Supratman Andi Agtas, and the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and met senior officials of the Ministry of Law and the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP). The meetings were warm and substantive, positioning the Association as a constructive partner in Indonesia’s own reform agenda.

The discussions came almost exactly a year after Indonesia’s National IP Roadmap was launched, with early results beginning to show. The ministers confirmed that amendments to the trademark, copyright, and industrial design laws are advancing, and that DGIP is accelerating examination, including through the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Consistent with its longstanding positions, INTA welcomed the modernization drive while offering its members’ practitioner and brand-owner perspectives on how reforms can best serve the businesses that use the system.

The delegation offered INTA’s support through training and capacity building for examiners, customs officials, and enforcement officers, in support of the roadmap and Indonesia’s plans to reinvigorate its enforcement task force. Both sides also discussed formalizing cooperation between DGIP and INTA, with a view to sustaining the momentum of the visit.

The Jakarta program also included meetings with the local IP community, represented by the Indonesian Anti-Counterfeiting Society (MIAP) and the Indonesian Association of IP Consultants (AKHKI), many of whose members joined a reception held in the delegation’s honor. Local members expressed strong appreciation for INTA’s role in bringing their priorities to the ministerial level, reinforcing the Association’s standing with the profession in Indonesia.

Singapore: IP Week and Regional Convening

In Singapore, the delegation joined Singapore IP Week, held from August 25 to 27 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The 15th annual event convened policymakers, business leaders, and legal experts under the theme “The Rise of AI: Is It IP as Usual?” The anchor conference, the Global Forum on Intellectual Property (GFIP), was opened by Singapore’s Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Edwin Tong, SC, with a keynote by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang. The 2026 event coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo spoke on two panels, addressing the commercialization of IP and the harmonization of valuation practices to build trust in intangible assets. The delegation enjoyed senior access across the Asia Pacific IP ecosystem, including with Director General Tang, heads of IP offices from across Asia and Europe, and Singapore government leaders, and was prominently represented on the event’s principal platforms.

A Consultation with ASEAN’s IP Offices

A central element of the program was a consultation between INTA and the IP offices of all 11 participating ASEAN economies, convened through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation. The discussion centered on the ASEAN IP Rights Action Plan 2026–2030 (AIPRAP 2030) and the areas in which INTA is well-placed to contribute as one of several partners supporting an effective, enterprising, and inclusive regional IP ecosystem. Drawing on its examiner and judicial training, professional education programs, and committee work, INTA identified several areas for potential collaboration. These included capacity building, IP commercialization and valuation, support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, enforcement and public awareness, and the plan’s inclusive and sustainable growth objectives. Both sides agreed to develop a short, practical list of activities at the working level for 2026 and 2027.

Valuation, Enforcement, and Cooperation

The valuation agenda featured prominently. INTA was a founding member of the Intangible Asset Valuation Network (IAVN), launched on August 27 alongside WIPO, the Licensing Executives Society International, and the International Valuation Standards Council, with IPOS and the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers of Singapore as its secretariat. In support of this work, INTA signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong–based International IP Commercialization Council on the margins of IP Week and held a productive bilateral meeting with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, taking forward matters raised at the WIPO General Assemblies.

Looking Ahead

The visit reflects INTA’s sustained commitment to the Asia Pacific region and its approach of pairing bilateral engagement with regional convening. It deepened senior relationships in Indonesia and across ASEAN, placed members’ priorities before Indonesia’s ministers, and set a path toward closer cooperation with the Indonesian IP office and the ASEAN offices as a group. As jurisdictions across Southeast Asia advance ambitious reforms, and as AI reshapes questions of creation, ownership, and value, INTA remains focused on contributing constructive, balanced, and practitioner-informed perspectives to the region’s evolving IP frameworks.

Walter Chia is INTA’s Chief Representative Officer for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. He works alongside colleagues at INTA’s headquarters and representative offices worldwide on the Association’s policy, membership, and engagement activities across the region. Please contact Walter Chia to learn more about INTA’s activities in Asia Pacific.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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