The state railway operator’s upgraded email system improves privacy, operational reliability, and regulatory alignment for over 28,000 employees.

Following several years of operational and cybersecurity challenges, Indonesia’s state-owned railway operator, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI), had demonstrated resilience and ongoing digital transformation.

Facing the need to modernize its technology landscape, particularly in secure communication, the operator announced on 22 July 2025 that it has upgraded its nationwide email and collaboration infrastructure as part of the government’s broader move to improve cybersecurity capabilities through public-private partnerships.

This initiative came as PT KAI adapted to stricter regulatory requirements for data protection and compliance, as well as the operational demands of delivering services to more than 28,000 employees spread across the country.

Before this upgrade, PT KAI’s legacy email systems had limited security controls and scalability, exposing critical operations to compliance and reliability risks. Now, these challenges have been addressed through the cyber resilience program including:

• A software solution allowing for in-country, on-premises data storage and system control
• Full encryption of communications, ensuring internal and external correspondence privacy
• Seamless integration with the operator’s existing IT systems for unified identity verification and access management
• Improved reliability and operational coordination across the enterprise
• Alignment with national compliance and data sovereignty mandates

By anchoring its communications infrastructure on secure, sovereign technology, PT KAI has set a precedent for digital self-reliance in Indonesia’s public sector, demonstrating a practical approach to regulatory compliance and enhanced cybersecurity

Said its Manager,  IT Application and Data Center, Bagit Airlangga: “With local deployment, full encryption, and seamless system integration, we are able to ensure operational efficiency across our national network, while preparing for future challenges.”

According to Marcus Teo, Chief Revenue Officer, Zimbra, which supplied the technology solution: “As institutions such as PT KAI modernize their communication infrastructure under national data mandates… sovereign-ready, secure email infrastructure tailored to Indonesia’s regulatory landscape” can support resilience and regulatory alignment within the public sector and beyond.