In May 2025, Indonesia's trade balance recorded an impressive surplus of USD 4.3 billion, surging compared to the previous month. This was supported by the rapidly increasing performance of non-oil and gas exports, including palm oil commodities, textiles, and value-added industrial products. Meanwhile, oil and gas and non-oil and gas imports were relatively stable, resulting in a significant positive difference. Bank Indonesia highlighted that the surplus reflects increasing global demand for Indonesian products, as the economies of major trading partners such as China and the US recover.
Strong Surplus Drives Economic Optimism and Expansion of Export Diversification. The increase in the surplus is a positive sign for the stability of the rupiah exchange rate and the national economy. Economists from a research institute stated that excess revenue from exports can boost foreign exchange reserves, strengthen fiscal space for infrastructure investment and economic transformation. However, they also noted the need to diversify export markets and products so that the trade balance does not depend on a few sectors or countries. Going forward, the government's attention is focused on boosting exports of processing industries and sustainable agriculture, while expanding access to non-traditional markets to maintain consistent surplus momentum.
