Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C, – Indonesia continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia’s most strategic investment destinations, as highlighted during a meeting between Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Indroyono Soesilo and leading American business executives at the headquarters of the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC).
Hosted by US-ABC Chair and former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Brian McFeeters, the meeting brought together representatives from major U.S. corporations spanning food, technology, finance, defense, aviation, and mining sectors. Former U.S. Ambassadors to Indonesia Joseph Donovan and Robert Blake also attended, offering perspectives on the long-standing economic partnership between the two countries.
In the aviation sector, Boeing reaffirmed its long-term partnership with Indonesia through commercial aircraft supplied to Indonesian airlines while exploring opportunities to strengthen domestic aerospace supply chains. Defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin highlighted prospects for defense modernization and technology transfer to enhance Indonesia’s industrial capabilities.
The mining sector was represented by Freeport-McMoRan, whose investment through PT Freeport Indonesia continues to support mineral resource development in Papua, including long-term investments in mining infrastructure and smelter facilities that contribute significantly to state revenues and regional economic development. Bower Group Asia also participated, emphasizing its role in helping international businesses navigate Indonesia’s regulatory landscape and investment climate.
Other companies underscored the breadth of bilateral economic cooperation. Cargill supports Indonesia’s food security through trade in corn, soybeans, and wheat, while Caterpillar has supplied heavy equipment for Indonesia’s mining and construction industries since 1971. PepsiCo highlighted its sustainability initiatives, including plastic recycling programs in Bali and tree-planting projects in West Java.
Technology company NVIDIA showcased a new dimension of bilateral cooperation through its artificial intelligence (AI) talent development program in partnership with Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. Meanwhile, Walmart Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable supply chains and farmer welfare, while Chubb emphasized financial literacy and risk management initiatives.
During the meeting, Director of the Indonesia Investment Promotion Center (IIPC) New York, Tessal Maharizky Febrian, reported that U.S. investment in Indonesia reached US$1.7 billion during the first half of 2026.
Indonesia’s exports to the United States totaled US$31 billion in 2025, accounting for approximately 11 percent of the country’s total exports, while total bilateral trade reached US$43.8 billion.
Indonesia’s leading exports to the U.S. market included electronics (US$6 billion), textiles (US$4.9 billion), footwear (US$2.8 billion), palm oil (US$2.1 billion), furniture (US$1.4 billion), and seafood (US$1.2 billion). U.S. exports to Indonesia consisted primarily of soybeans, cotton, wheat, aircraft and aerospace products, machinery, healthcare products, chemicals, and information and telecommunications technology.
Business leaders agreed that bilateral economic cooperation has significant room for expansion. They welcomed Indonesia’s regulatory reforms under Government Regulation No. 28 of 2025 on Risk-Based Business Licensing while emphasizing the need for stronger intellectual property protection, greater regulatory consistency between central and regional governments, improved logistics, and continued investment in workforce development.
The discussions concluded that addressing these priorities could help Indonesia attract more world-class investment from major U.S. companies while expanding export opportunities in one of its most important international markets. (*)
