Government Reaffirms "Agreement on Reciprocal Trade" as Foundation of Indonesia–US Trade Relations

The Indonesian government has reaffirmed that the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between Indonesia and the United States remains the primary foundation for bilateral trade relations between the two nations.

This reaffirmation was issued by the Indonesian government in response to ongoing developments in trade investigation processes occurring in the United States as part of that country’s legal administrative mechanisms.

Haryo Limanseto, Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Coordinating for Economic Affairs, stated that the investigation process represents a standard legal procedure that US authorities must follow. “In principle, this is a matter of legal administration in their country, so they must follow the investigation process. However, our foundation remains the ART, so we will proceed through this process,” he explained, according to the economic affairs ministry website, on Monday, 16 March 2026.

This statement was made during a media gathering organised by the Ministry of Coordinating for Economic Affairs with the Forum of Financial and Monetary Journalists at a media event in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.

Indonesia nevertheless holds a distinctive position given that both nations agreed to the ART following intensive negotiations spanning more than one year. “We will follow the investigation by providing necessary data. We are confident that various matters of concern have already been discussed in ART negotiations,” Limanseto clarified.

He added that the government has also communicated with US authorities regarding follow-up implementation of the policy. According to him, numerous issues receiving attention in the investigation process have fundamentally been comprehensively discussed during ART negotiations, including various aspects of trade and economic cooperation serving the interests of both nations.

This approach includes consultation with the Indonesian House of Representatives and the ratification process in accordance with applicable legal regulations. “The ART is an agreement with win-win outcomes for both countries. Therefore, we remain optimistic that this agreement, which has undergone extensive discussion, will continue to move forward,” Limanseto concluded.