Indonesia Delays Import of 105,000 Indian Pickups & Trucks

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, that the government will postpone plans to import 105,000 pickup trucks and trucks from India for use by Village/Urban Village Cooperative (Kopdes) operations. The decision follows a request from Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad to delay the import.

Purbaya explained the move aligns with President’s direction to prioritize the domestic automotive industry. The Indonesian government is increasingly focused on bolstering local manufacturing capabilities amid broader economic development goals.

“Since Mr. Dasco commented yesterday, we will just follow Mr. Dasco,” Purbaya stated at the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta.

Agrinas’s CEO stated there has been no decision yet regarding the postponement of the pickup truck import from India.

Purbaya added that providing operational vehicles for Kopdes Merah Putih will proceed in accordance with this direction. He believes the President’s position is clear in supporting the growth of domestic industries.

“If, in my opinion, the President’s goal is to encourage domestic industry, I think the President’s position is clear on this,” he said.

Previously, Purbaya indicated that the planned import of 105,000 vehicles by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara to support Kopdes Merah Putih operations would not burden the country’s fiscal condition. The cooperative is securing financing through loans from state-owned banks (Himbara), with the Ministry of Finance planning to allocate approximately IDR 40 trillion (USD $2.5 billion) per year over the next six years to cover loan repayments.

“So, for me, the risks are clear, there is no additional fiscal risk. Because every year, a portion of that money is transferred from village funds. So, every year we spend that much. It’s just that the way we spend it has changed,” Purbaya said during a February 2026 APBN KiTa press conference in Jakarta on Monday, February 23, 2026.

Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota, Director General of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, confirmed on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, that no decision has been made to postpone the import of 105,000 units from India. He stated the company will communicate with those requesting the delay, including Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.

“I will ask for time from Mr. Dasco to present these documents and contracts to him, as he may have only heard one side of the story so far. I will try to find time to meet with him,” Joao said at a press conference at the company’s office in Jakarta.

Agrinas is currently processing the import of 35,000 4×4 pickup trucks from Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), as well as 35,000 4×4 pickups and 35,000 six-wheel trucks from Tata Motors. All vehicles are intended for use by Village/Urban Village Cooperatives (KDKMP).

According to Joao, opposition to the import has arrive from specific individuals and groups, not from the government or the public. “Who is rejecting this? Because we are a state-owned enterprise, we must obey the government and the people. So, we are only loyal to the country and the people, not to individuals or groups who oppose it,” he stated.

Local technical experts have argued that the domestic industry is capable of producing 1 million units.

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