A multinational business forum in Batam
The Kepri International Business Forum 2026 is a series of activities on business networking, the Halal economy, women’s entrepreneurship and international trade promotion. The forum gives organisations, businesses and international partners the chance to meet, share market opportunities, take part in business matching and look for new models of cooperation between Indonesia and other countries in the region.
The programme had three main components: the Halal World Forum, the Women Business Forum and International Business Matching. It offered a space for businesses to present products, find partners, exchange information on market needs and discuss cross-border cooperation. On the sidelines of the forum, HHV representatives met Mr Riki Rionaldi, Head of the Kepulauan Riau Provincial Department of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises.
From online dialogue to face-to-face connections
HHV’s participation in Batam followed on from the International Halal Webinar 2026, themed “Navigating The Future Halal Trade: Connecting Batam-Bintan ASEAN Business Forum to Saudi-GCC-Europe Markets”, held on 19 September 2026.
The webinar brought together experts, organisations and businesses from ASEAN, Europe and the Middle East to discuss practical issues for businesses seeking to enter international Halal trade: Halal certification, market standards and regulations, logistics, packaging, traceability and access to the Saudi, Gulf and European markets.
HHV signs an MoU with Lembaga Inkubator Bisnis Merah Putih Kepulauan Riau
Lembaga Inkubator Bisnis Merah Putih Kepulauan Riau is an organisation set up by Kepulauan Riau province to support the incubation and development of businesses, targeting small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurs and start-ups. The memorandum of understanding with HHV aims to promote trade in Halal goods between Indonesia and Vietnam, strengthen institutional cooperation, develop Halal industry training programmes and help businesses access markets.
📌 THREE KEY AREAS OF COOPERATION
Promoting trade in Halal goods: expanding two-way trade along the Vietnam – Indonesia corridor; seeking supply chain complementarities and connection opportunities between Halal producers, businesses and exporters in both countries.
Exchange and capacity building for the Halal industry: exploring training exchange programmes; sharing experience, good practices, standards and legal frameworks for Halal certification and quality assurance.
Expanding market access and business connections: jointly organising trade missions, exhibitions, seminars and business matching programmes.
Under the agreed terms, the two sides will study and jointly implement each area. The aim is to create more opportunities for Vietnamese Halal products to reach the Indonesian market, while expanding connections for Indonesian businesses and products with the Vietnamese market.
Why does the Vietnam – Indonesia corridor matter now?
On 17 October 2026, the Indonesian government announced it would push back mandatory Halal certification for many product groups to October 2028. For imports, the new deadline is tied to the completion of mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) on Halal certification. Vietnam and Indonesia do not yet have an MRA, according to information published up to early 2026. The next two years are therefore valuable time for businesses to prepare, and for bilateral cooperation channels such as the MoU signed in Batam to take effect.
🔎 A NOTE FOR CLARITY
The MoU between HHV and Lembaga Inkubator Bisnis Merah Putih Kepulauan Riau is a cooperation agreement on trade promotion, training and business connections, not an agreement on the recognition of Halal certification. Businesses exporting to Indonesia will still need certification accepted by BPJPH once the mandatory rules take effect. The value of cooperation channels like this one is that they give businesses closer access to market information, partners and practical training programmes.
From “Halal awareness” to “Halal trade”
The message running through the activities in Batam was the need to move from “Halal awareness” to “Halal trade”. Certification is only one of many factors; businesses also need to pay attention to market standards, traceability, packaging, logistics, production capacity, product quality, import regulations and the ability to connect with distribution systems.
For Vietnam, deeper participation in this network could open up more opportunities for sectors with strengths such as agriculture, seafood, processed food, tourism and services, as demand from Muslim consumers for compliant products and services keeps growing in international markets.
Glossary
- Kepri: short for Kepulauan Riau province (the Riau Islands), Indonesia, home to the city of Batam.
- MoU (Memorandum of Understanding): a document expressing the parties’ intention to cooperate.
- Lembaga Inkubator Bisnis Merah Putih: roughly “Merah Putih Business Incubator Institute”, a business incubation support organisation of Kepulauan Riau province.
- Business matching: trade networking activities that arrange meetings between buyers and sellers.
- GCC: the Gulf Cooperation Council (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain).
- BPJPH: Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Agency. MRA: mutual recognition agreement.
References
Legal texts and official sources
- Halal Hub Vietnam – field report from HHV staff attending the Kepri International Business Forum 2026 (Batam, 22–24 September 2026)
- ANTARA (South Kalimantan) – Pemerintah perpanjang wajib halal 2026 jadi 2028 (Indonesian)
- CNBC Indonesia – Wajib Sertifikat Halal Mundur ke 2028, Pemerintah Ungkap Alasannya (Indonesian)
Press and industry analysis (secondary sources, cited as published)
- ChemLinked – Indonesia to Mandate Pre-Shipment Halal Conformity Checks for Imported Foods
- VOV – Indonesia ready to cooperate with Vietnam in halal sector
Photos: HalalHub.vn archive.
HalalHub.vn · Published 18 October 2026 · Legal information checked as of 18 October 2026; regulations may change, so please check official sources before making decisions.
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