RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso affirmed that Indonesia’s trade balance has again recorded a surplus of USD 1.27 billion. The positive achievement in February 2026 also extends the surplus trend to 70 consecutive months.

The minister said that this strong performance proves the resilience of the national economy amid current global market fluctuations. He noted the non-oil and gas sector remains the main driver, contributing a surplus of USD 2.19 billion.

“The achievement of a surplus for 70 consecutive months reflects that Indonesia’s trade fundamentals remain strong. This performance is mainly supported by non-oil and gas exports, which continue to be the main driver of our trade balance surplus,” Minister Budi said in Jakarta, Thursday, April 2, 2026.

The minister explained that Indonesia’s total exports in February reached USD 22.17 billion. He noted a slight growth of 0.05 percent compared to the previous month, supported by the strong performance of the manufacturing industry.

He further detailed that tin and nickel commodities experienced a very significant increase in export value. He said rising prices in the international market were the main factor behind the surge in shipments of both commodities.

“The increase in exports of several key commodities is closely linked to global market prices. Tin prices rose by 59.87 percent and nickel increased by 13.88 percent during January-February 2026,” he added.

Minister Budi revealed that the national export structure is still dominated by the manufacturing sector. He observed a shift in market interest toward non-traditional countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt.

He added that exports to Central Asia surged significantly, reaching 146.11 percent. He assessed that market expansion into Uzbekistan and surrounding areas is a strategic move to strengthen the trade base.

He continued that national import performance reached USD 20.89 billion in February, explaining that the 34.44 percent increase in capital goods imports is a positive signal for manufacturing activity.

The minister linked this data to the rise in Indonesia’s S&P Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). He expressed optimism as the level of 53.8 indicates the strongest industrial expansion since March 2024.

“This is in line with the S&P Global Indonesia Manufacturing PMI, which rose to 53.8 in February 2026, the highest since March 2024. This provides a positive signal for Indonesia’s trade performance in the future,” he explained.

The United States, according to him, remains the largest contributor to Indonesia’s trade surplus. He recorded a trade surplus with the US reaching USD 3.11 billion.

However, he noted a concern over the deepest deficit occurring in trade relations with the People’s Republic of China. He reported that the deficit with China reached USD 4.99 billion during the first two months. (Diva Rifdah/Sri Wahyuni)