Indian Pickup Trucks Arrive in Surabaya: Kadin Chief's Response
Indian pickup truck imports have begun appearing at several Red-White Village Cooperatives (KDKMP) in Surabaya, despite opposition from some quarters.
The vehicles are part of procurement by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara to support the Red-White Village Cooperative programme. Anindya Bakrie, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), stated that he does not object to the commercial vehicle imports from India, as they serve to accelerate government programmes including free nutritious meals (MBG) and the Red-White Village Cooperative programme (KDMP).
“I believe the primary objective is ensuring that programmes like MBG and KDMP proceed smoothly. Since speed is needed, this may be the basis for the government’s decision to import,” Bakrie said in the Menteng area of Jakarta on Friday, 27 February 2025.
However, he advocated for the government to focus long-term on strengthening domestic vehicle production, noting that automotive manufacturers associated with industry groups such as GIAMM and Gaikindo are capable of producing 400,000 units annually.
“Going forward, our focus should be on making the Red-White Village Cooperative programme visible quickly. There are many benefits to this. But Kadin and the automotive associations should collaborate to create a roadmap for higher-value manufacturing, particularly in the automotive sector, which employs 1.5 million people across 300 vendors,” Bakrie stated.
He emphasised the importance of developing not only national cars but also buses and trucks, ideally electric vehicles, to reduce imports of fuel and other commodities. Bakrie indicated that Kadin would engage in discussions with the government to align policy with business sector interests.
According to plans, PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara will import 105,000 pickup trucks from India. The imports consist of 35,000 4x4 pickup units from Mahindra & Mahindra and 35,000 4x4 pickup units and 35,000 six-wheeled trucks from Tata Motors respectively. All vehicles will serve as operational fleet assets for the Red-White Village/Kelurahan Cooperative (KDKMP) programme.