Indonesia Targets Long-Term Trade Surplus Sustainability

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian trade balance returned to a surplus in July 2026. Minister of Trade, Budi Santoso, said the surplus in July was a positive development after Indonesia recorded deficits in the previous two months, specifically in May and June.

“We expect it to remain in surplus continuously,” Minister Budi said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesia’s trade balance in July recorded a surplus of USD 0.12 billion. Exports reached USD 26.22 billion, up 6.05 percent year-on-year (yoy), while imports totaled USD 26.09 billion, an increase of 27.02 percent (yoy).

Cumulatively, the trade balance for goods from January through July still recorded a surplus of USD 3.70 billion. Exports reached USD 167.03 billion, up 4.43 percent cumulative-to-cumulative (ctc) compared to the same period the previous year.

Minister Budi noted that the rise in global oil prices had temporarily put pressure on the trade balance in March and April. Oil prices even briefly exceeded USD 100 per barrel, while Indonesia’s domestic oil demand remained high.

According to him, the non-oil and gas trade surplus continued despite the oil and gas sector recording a deficit. Therefore, the government does not rely solely on oil price stability to maintain the trade balance.

The government will also strengthen export performance to ensure the surplus can be sustained over the long term. “That’s our goal--we don’t just want it to last until the end of the year, but long term,” added Minister Budi.

In terms of exports from January through July, the manufacturing sector was the largest contributor, with exports valued at USD 137.26 billion. Mining and other sectors contributed USD 19.60 billion, while agriculture, forestry, and fisheries reached USD 3.15 billion.

Meanwhile, imports in January-July reached USD 163.33 billion, up 19.94 percent (yoy) from the same period last year. Raw and auxiliary materials dominated these imports at USD 116.70 billion, capital goods at USD 32.46 billion, and consumer goods at USD 14.16 billion. ***