Indonesia’s import performance in 2025 reflects both resilience and shifting priorities. Raw materials continue to dominate the country’s import structure, while capital goods show strong growth and consumer goods decline slightly. These trends reveal how Indonesia’s economy is evolving, balancing industrial needs with consumer demand in a competitive global environment.
Key Facts & Background
- Import Composition (Jan–Nov 2025):
- Raw materials/auxiliary goods: 70.27% of total imports.
- Capital goods: 20.55%.
- Consumer goods: 9.18%.
- Year-on-Year Changes (vs Jan–Nov 2024):
- Capital goods imports rose 18.54%.
- Consumer goods imports fell 2.02%.
- Raw materials/auxiliary goods imports fell 1.46%.
- Capital Goods Growth Drivers:
- Higher imports of CPUs, smartphones, electric vehicles (non-CKD), and base stations.
- Raw Materials Declines:
- Sharp drops in crude oil, sugarcane, soybeans, animal feed meal, and polypropylene.
- Consumer Goods Declines:
- Lower imports of air conditioners, garlic, electric vehicles (CKD), non-dairy creamer, and medicines.
- Monthly Performance (Nov 2025):
- Imports totaled USD 19.86 billion, down 9.09% month-on-month.
- Non-oil and gas imports: USD 17.00 billion.
- Oil and gas imports: USD 2.86 billion.
- Cumulative Imports (Jan–Nov 2025):
- Total imports: USD 218.02 billion, up 2.03% year-on-year.
- Non-oil and gas imports: USD 188.61 billion, up 4.37% from 2024.
- Top Rising Non-Oil Commodities:
- Salt, sulfur, stone, and cement (HS 25): +70.89%.
- Cocoa and cocoa products (HS 18): +54.53%.
- Various chemical products (HS 38): +36.12%.
- Main Import Sources (Jan–Nov 2025):
- China, Japan, and the United States contributed 52.87% of total non-oil imports.
- Fastest growth in imports came from Mexico (+234.22%), UAE (+74.86%), and Spain (+38.32%).
Strategic Insights
Indonesia’s import structure in 2025 highlights the country’s dependence on raw materials to sustain industrial activity. Although raw materials remain dominant, their slight decline suggests efficiency improvements or substitution with domestic production. The surge in capital goods imports reflects ongoing modernization, particularly in technology and infrastructure, as industries invest in CPUs, smartphones, and electric vehicles. This trend signals Indonesia’s ambition to strengthen its digital economy and green transition.
The decline in consumer goods imports points to shifting consumption patterns and possibly stronger domestic production capacity. Lower imports of everyday items such as garlic, air conditioners, and medicines may indicate efforts to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. At the same time, the rise in cocoa and chemical imports underscores Indonesia’s role in processing industries that feed into global value chains.
Regional dynamics reveal the importance of China, Japan, and the US as Indonesia’s core trading partners, accounting for more than half of non-oil imports. However, the sharp increase in imports from Mexico and the UAE suggests diversification of supply sources, which could reduce risks associated with overdependence on a few countries. This diversification is strategically important as Indonesia navigates global trade uncertainties.
Monthly fluctuations, such as the November decline, reflect seasonal demand and global price movements. Yet the cumulative growth of imports shows that Indonesia’s economy remains active and resilient. The balance between rising capital goods and declining consumer goods imports suggests a long-term shift toward investment-driven growth rather than consumption-led expansion.