Downstream Processing Becomes Key to Economic Independence, President: No More Exporting Raw Materials

The government has reaffirmed downstream processing as the primary strategy to drive national economic independence and ensure that the nation’s natural resource wealth provides maximum benefits to its people. President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto stated that downstream processing is a fundamental step to prevent Indonesia from continuing to rely on exporting raw materials without added value. “Downstream processing is the path to the resurgence of the Indonesian nation. It is the only way for us to become a more prosperous nation,” said Prabowo during the groundbreaking of the second phase of national downstream processing in Cilacap on Wednesday (29/4/2026). According to him, history shows that strong nations are those capable of mastering and managing their own natural resources. Without the courage to manage that wealth, Indonesia risks remaining behind despite its abundant resources. “A nation that wants to be independent and remain independent must be brave and capable of mastering its resources. It must be brave first, then capable,” he asserted. Prabowo assessed that Indonesia has long faced structural issues, namely selling commodities in raw form without processing them into higher-value products domestically. “We do not want to just sell raw materials. We want that added value to be enjoyed by the Indonesian people,” he said. He added that downstream processing is part of a broader effort to regain control over national wealth so it does not continue to flow abroad. “We want Indonesia’s national wealth to be in the hands of the Indonesian nation and enjoyed by the Indonesian people,” said Prabowo. According to him, downstream processing is also part of the long journey of national development that requires consistency across administrations and hard work from all stakeholders. Therefore, the President called on state-owned enterprises, technocrats, and all industry players to make downstream processing the top priority in national economic development. With strengthened downstream processing, the government targets Indonesia to no longer depend on raw material exports, but instead become a producer of high-value products with global competitiveness.