Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has ordered his ministers to fast-track 18 downstream industrial projects worth nearly Rp 600 trillion (around $37 billion) following a high-level meeting at the Presidential Palace on Thursday (6/11/2025).

“From the 18 projects that have completed pre-feasibility studies, we aim to finalize all this year so construction can begin in 2026,” said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia after the meeting, as reported by antaranews.com.

The projects, spanning petrochemicals, minerals, and coal-to-gas (DME) conversion, are expected to reduce Indonesia’s import dependency, create new jobs, and strengthen long-term economic resilience. 

President Prabowo’s directive follows his inauguration of Southeast Asia’s largest petrochemical plant in Cilegon, built with $4 billion in Korean investment.

Minister Bahlil emphasized that the DME initiative, which converts coal into gas, will replace LPG imports projected to hit 10 million tons by 2026, marking a major step in Indonesia’s energy independence drive.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)