Parliament Member Urges Government to Take Firm Stand on US Solar Panel Tariffs

Jakarta – A member of the Indonesian Parliament’s Commission VI, Rivqy Abdul Halim, has called on the government to take a firm stance in responding to the United States government’s policy imposing temporary tariffs of up to 143 per cent on solar panel products from Indonesia.

According to him, the government must act decisively because Indonesia’s national standing and prestige are at stake, and the country should not allow itself to be seen as susceptible to pressure in international trade.

“I believe the nation’s dignity is certainly compromised if the US treats every one of our solar cell and panel products in this manner,” he said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday.

For this reason, he recommended that Indonesia seek markets beyond the United States. Moreover, he noted that Indonesia has the capacity and competitiveness to be self-reliant without depending on a single market.

In addition, he advised the government to actively pursue trade diplomacy, including opening new potential markets for solar panels in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

He put forward this suggestion because he views diversification of export markets as a strategic step to reduce dependence on the US market.

“So I urge the government to be firm on this. The nation’s dignity comes above all else. No country whatsoever can pressure Indonesia because we are fully capable of standing on our own,” he said.

Meanwhile, he stated that Commission VI of the Parliament will continue to oversee national trade policy to ensure it favours the interests of domestic industry and protects strategically important national products, including the renewable and new energy sector.

Previously, the US Department of Commerce announced temporary tariffs in the range of 86–143 per cent on Indonesian solar panel products.

On 27 February 2026, the Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Yuliot Tanjung, said the Indonesian government would push for Indonesian solar panel products not to be subject to such tariffs.

On a separate occasion, Trade Minister Budi Santoso said the government was ready to defend the domestic solar panel industry.