Four Countries Granted Exemption from Natural Resource Export Proceeds Repatriation Rule

Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto has revealed that four countries will be exempted from the new rules on the placement of natural resource export proceeds (DHE SDA). The decision was taken following a coordination meeting with Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Investment Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, and representatives of Bank Indonesia on Thursday morning, 23 July 2026.

According to Airlangga, the four countries were selected because they have extensive bilateral cooperation with Indonesia. “Several countries with which we have substantial bilateral ties are China, the United States, then Australia and Canada,” he said at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta on Thursday, 23 July 2026.

The new DHE SDA rules require exporters to bring their foreign exchange earnings back into the country. The aim is to strengthen national foreign exchange reserves and maintain the stability of the rupiah exchange rate. This provision is set out in Government Regulation (PP) Number 21 of 2026, which came into effect on 1 June 2026.

Under this regulation, natural resource exporters are required to repatriate 100 per cent of their export proceeds into the country. Meanwhile, non-oil and gas sector exporters must place 100 per cent of their DHE SDA in special domestic accounts for a minimum of 12 months. The placement must be made through banks owned by state-owned enterprises (BUMN).

Although tightly regulated, the government may grant exemptions or relaxations to certain trading partner countries. PP 21 of 2026 stipulates that exporters bound by bilateral agreements may place a portion of their DHE SDA in special accounts outside the general provisions. They may place a minimum of 30 per cent of the funds in foreign currency for three months and exchange the foreign currency at banks other than BUMN banks.

Edi Prio Pambudi, Deputy for Economic and Investment Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, said the exemptions granted to these four countries remain subject to review. The review will be carried out every three months. “We will see how effective it is. We must ensure there is no adverse reaction that ends up creating problems,” he said.

Edi said the DHE meeting on Thursday was only aimed at gathering input from all relevant agencies. The percentage of relaxation granted may also still change. The government, he said, will proceed very carefully, as the primary objective of the policy is to prevent the rupiah from continuing to weaken.