Indonesia's Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia clinches $8.6 bn EV battery investment without English fluency

Indonesia's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources and Golkar party chair Bahlil Lahadalia disclosed that he secured commitments for an electric‑vehicle battery ecosystem worth US$8.6 billion (about Rp153 trillion). The negotiations were conducted with the governments of China, Japan and South Korea while he was head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and despite his limited English proficiency.

Lahadalia said the investment will form the foundation for a domestic battery industry and highlighted the need for BKPM to have a ministry‑level status to improve diplomatic leverage in future deals.