Indonesia Eyes $17.5 Billion in Trade Expo Deals

Representing President Prabowo Subianto, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia emphasized that the nation’s economic resilience now hinges on processing natural resources domestically rather than relying on raw exports. This policy shift aligns with the Ministry of Trade’s broader strategy to secure the domestic market while pushing local goods into international supply chains.

Trade Minister Budi Santoso confirmed that the event has already set the stage for 168 memoranda of understanding between local exporters and international partners from 22 countries. Beyond traditional markets, the government is actively targeting emerging opportunities in South Asia and Africa. To sustain this momentum, the Ministry is leveraging 46 trade representative offices worldwide to facilitate business matching for small and medium enterprises. The expo also highlights unique developmental initiatives, such as the Desa BISA Ekspor program for village-level production and the Campuspreneur initiative, which integrates 25 universities into the national export ecosystem.