Prabowo: Indonesia's Energy Self-Sufficiency Is Now Being Realised
President Prabowo Subianto has said Indonesia is beginning to realise energy self-sufficiency, following the implementation of the 50% biodiesel mandate, or B50.
Prabowo said the implementation of B50 means Indonesia no longer depends on diesel imports from abroad. The policy will take full effect on 1 July 2026.
“The promise of energy self-sufficiency has now begun to be realised, with the first self-sufficiency in diesel as we have successfully produced diesel with B50 from palm oil. So from this year, from 1 July 2026, we will no longer import diesel from abroad,” Prabowo said during the Annual Session of the MPR and the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD in the framework of the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia at the Nusantara Building, Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, Friday (14/8/2026).
According to him, ending diesel imports has a positive impact on foreign exchange savings. The government is estimated to save around Rp170 trillion in foreign exchange.
“We have succeeded in saving Rp170 trillion in foreign exchange, around 9.5 billion US dollars that we no longer have to send abroad,” he said.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto officially launched diesel fuel blended with 50% palm oil-based biofuel, or B50 biodiesel, on Thursday (9/7/2026).
The inauguration of the B50 mandate is a strategic government agenda to reduce dependence on fuel imports, particularly diesel, and to strengthen the added value of national natural resources, as well as to maintain economic resilience and Indonesia’s energy sovereignty.
The B50 launch was attended by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming as well as CEO of Danantara Indonesia Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero) Simon Aloysius Mantiri, and other cabinet ministers.
In his remarks, Prabowo said that with the launch of the B50 programme, Indonesia has officially become the first country in the world to implement a mandatory B50 biodiesel mandate.
“Indonesia has officially become the first country in the world to implement a mandatory B50 biodiesel mandate. This is not merely a technological achievement; this is proof that Indonesia is able to utilise its own natural wealth for the benefit of its own people,” Prabowo said in his remarks in Karawang, Thursday (9/7/2026).
“This is an important milestone in the journey towards energy independence,” Prabowo added.
For Prabowo, the independence and survival of a nation are determined by three things: first, whether the nation can produce food for its people; second, whether the nation has its own energy sources and does not depend on other nations; and third, whether the country also has water sources.
“Today I am proud to be here. Today I have been waiting for this. Since before I was inaugurated as President, my core team and my advisory team have always emphasised that we must achieve food self-sufficiency, we must achieve energy self-sufficiency, we must not import fuel, we must not import food. Since before I became president, since I was chairman of HKTI, since I was minister of defence, my focus has been on managing this,” Prabowo stressed.
“By saying Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, on this afternoon, Monday 9 July 2026, with the grace of Almighty God, I, Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia, hereby launch B50 biodiesel,” Prabowo concluded at the inauguration.