Indonesia launches first electric vehicle battery exports

The administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is intensifying its industrial downstreaming strategy to boost national investment and job creation. A key milestone in this policy was marked by the first export of electric vehicle (EV) batteries from the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in Central Halmahera, North Maluku.

At IWIP, 11 industrial projects were launched with a total investment value of approximately $10.2 billion USD. Four projects—Blue Sparking Energy, REPT Battero Indonesia, Pioneer Aluminium Industries, and XCMG Indonesia Manufacturing—have entered the commercial stage, while seven others are under construction. These include ventures focused on nickel, cobalt, aluminium, and solar energy.

Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Perkasa Roeslani reported that national investment in the first half of 2026 reached Rp1,010.6 trillion, a 7.2 percent increase from the previous year, employing over 1.4 million workers. President Prabowo emphasized that processing raw materials into high-value products domestically is essential for global competitiveness, while also stressing the importance of environmental management and waste control during industrial expansion.