Optimising Trade Agreements: Ministry of Trade and Kadin Strengthen Synergy to Boost Export Markets
The Ministry of Trade, in collaboration with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia), is strengthening synergy to optimise the utilisation of various active international trade agreements.
Deputy Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, stated that this strategy is part of the government’s effort to expand export market access and increase the competitiveness of national business actors. She added that the move aims to maintain the positive momentum of Indonesia’s trade performance amidst global economic dynamics.
According to the Deputy Minister, the various trade agreements agreed upon by Indonesia serve as strategic instruments to strengthen national economic growth through increased exports and market diversification. She expressed optimism, noting that Indonesia’s trade performance continues to demonstrate strong resilience.
Dyar Roro explained that in 2025, Indonesia recorded a trade balance surplus of US$41.05 billion. This positive trend continued during the January-April 2026 period, with a surplus reaching US$5.64 billion and non-oil and gas export growth of 6.28 per cent year-on-year.
Currently, Indonesia has 25 international trade agreements covering more than 35 partner countries across various regions of the world. These partner nations represent approximately one-third of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than half of the world’s population. In 2025, nearly 68 per cent of Indonesia’s exports were directed towards countries covered by these trade agreements. Dyah Roro emphasised that this achievement demonstrates that trade agreements have become a vital foundation for strengthening market access for Indonesian products.
“Therefore, increasing the utilisation of the facilities available within trade agreements is a strategic agenda that needs to be continuously encouraged together,” she said.
One example of the successful utilisation of trade agreements can be seen in the implementation of the Indonesia-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IUAE-CEPA). Since coming into effect in September 2023, trade relations between the two nations have shown positive development.
To encourage more businesses to utilise trade agreement facilities, the Ministry of Trade is continuously strengthening various assistance and facilitation programmes. These efforts include the dissemination of information based on regional export potential, the organisation of coaching clinics for exporters, and the development of the electronic Certificate of Origin (e-SKA) system to further simplify trade administration processes.