Under the MOU, SBF and KADIN will work together on three key areas: 

(a) Digital Enablement – through the use of digital tools to help SMEs better understand cross-border trade requirements and equip them with the tools and knowledge to engage in cross-border trade;

(b) Policy Engagement – through roundtables and discussions on trade facilitation issues affecting SMEs, fostered by mutual dialogue and peer learning among SMEs, experts, and policymakers; and 

(c) Capability Building – through workshops, advisory support and knowledge-sharing sessions to build up SMEs’ capability and readiness to engage in cross-border trade.

A key initiative under the partnership is the Trade AI Advisor (TAIA), a Generative AI-powered digital platform developed by SBF. TAIA currently provides Singapore-based companies with on-demand, easy-to-understand guidance on cross-border trade requirements, market entry considerations, and regulatory procedures.

Led on the Singapore side by SBF’s Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment (CFOTI), both sides agreed to extend TAIA to cover Indonesia’s network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and offer a Bahasa Indonesia version.  This will provide practical step-by-step guidance on tariff eligibility, Rules of Origin, export procedures and market access opportunities to Indonesia-based companies, contributing to enhanced trade export value. 

This initiative is undertaken in partnership with Temasek Foundation as part of its broader efforts to strengthen trade connectivity and create new growth opportunities for SMEs across the region. Through its partnership with SBF, Temasek Foundation is supporting the localisation and deployment of the Trade AI Advisor (TAIA) platform, as well as the policy engagement and capability building initiatives under the MOU. The objective is that more SMEs can access trusted, AI-powered guidance on cross-border trade requirements and participate in market opportunities across ASEAN.

Mr. Mark Lee, Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation, said, “Strong business partnerships are essential to keeping trade open, resilient and inclusive, especially amid continued geopolitical and economic uncertainty. SBF’s collaboration with KADIN builds on our longstanding relationship and reflects our shared commitment to helping SMEs succeed beyond their home markets. This is also a pathfinder collaboration - the first MOU that SBF has signed with a regional counterpart to support SMEs’ cross-border trade needs. Indonesia is an important strategic partner for Singapore, and we remain committed to working closely with our Indonesian counterparts to provide businesses with practical support to navigate cross-border trade with greater confidence and unlock new opportunities across ASEAN.”  

This MOU builds on the good progress in economic cooperation between Singapore and Indonesia amid global geopolitical and economic uncertainties. It serves as a concrete example of continued cross-border business collaboration and strengthening supply chain resilience which were key areas reaffirmed during the 16th Singapore-Indonesia Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups Ministerial Meeting (BWG MM) held on 9 June 2026, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.

Following the signing of the SBF – KADIN MOU on 6 July 2026, the chambers will continue to work closely to advance the work streams under the mutually agreed scope of collaboration, including refining and exploring further areas of collaboration where needed to serve the growing trade-related needs of Indonesian SMEs. An example of this is the roundtable session held with Indonesian exporters from the horticultural industry on 7 July 2026, which seeks to solicit feedback on key business concerns and share about the potential benefits of using TAIA to navigate complex cross-border trade rules.