Amid Global Uncertainty, Indonesian Footwear Industry Shows Strong level of Boosting Industry Resilience

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia highlighted stronger government–business synergy at the 11th Congress of the Indonesian Footwear Association (APRISINDO), Wednesday, 21 January 2026. The congress brought together industry stakeholders to boost the national footwear sector amid ongoing global uncertainty.

The congress also aimed at aligning industry priorities with current government economic policies. The footwear industry remains a vital labor-intensive sector supporting economic stability and large-scale employment nationwide.

Moreover, it contributed 1.2 percent to manufacturing GDP during the third quarter of 2025. As of February 2025, the sector employed approximately 921,000 workers across the country.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, addressed the congress virtually. He said the national footwear industry continues showing strong performance despite global economic challenges.

As a result, its competitiveness remains well maintained in international markets. “Amid global dynamics and uncertainty, the national footwear industry has shown a strong level of resilience. In 2024, the value of footwear exports grew significantly by 13.13 percent, reaching USD7.28 billion. This achievement reflects strong competitiveness that remains well maintained in the global market,” he said.

Meanwhile, investor confidence in the footwear sector continued strengthening throughout the period. The realized foreign direct investment reached USD859 million in 2024. By the first half of 2025, the investment had already risen to USD803 million.

As reported by Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Minister Airlangga cautioned that the industry still faces external pressures from global trade policies. He cited the implementation of a 19 percent reciprocal tariff policy in the United States market.

Therefore, Indonesia expects the implementation of the Indonesia–European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) to help keep markets open.

“However, we must remain vigilant against various challenges, including the implementation of a 19 percent reciprocal tariff policy in the United States. Therefore, Indonesia hopes that through the implementation of IEU-CEPA, this market can remain open. This year, we are preparing to ensure that the implementation of IEU-CEPA can be utilized as optimally as possible,” Airlangga stated.

To maintain industry resilience, the government has introduced several concrete policy instruments. These include import controls, labor tax incentives, and investment credit schemes for labor-intensive industries. In addition, export facilitation was strengthened through bonded zones and simplified export procedures.

Moreover, Airlangga said the congress was crucial for setting adaptive and forward-looking organizational directions. He underscored close collaboration to support economic transformation and sustainability standards.