Bahlil, Purbaya, and Prasetyo Meet at Airlangga's Office – What's the Agenda?

Several ministers attended the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta for a coordination meeting discussing various energy policies, including the imposition of a coal export duty. According to observations by CNBC Indonesia, the attending ministers were State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia. The government plans to implement the coal export duty, deemed an appropriate step, particularly to increase state revenues amid the surge in commodity prices due to the Middle East conflict. Previously, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the policy is directed to keep the state budget deficit below 3% of GDP. “We are maintaining the state budget so that the deficit remains below 3% and in line with the directives from the Full Cabinet Plenary Session, which has been coordinated with technical ministries, through efficiencies from various ministries and agencies. With these efficiencies across ministries and agencies, the 3% deficit can be maintained,” Airlangga explained during a Limited Meeting with President Prabowo Subianto, quoted on Friday (27/3/2026). Airlangga noted that the planned implementation of the coal export tax is to increase state revenues, in line with the trend of rising global energy prices as an impact of the war in the Middle East, which has disrupted supplies of several energy sources, such as oil and gas.