Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. — Indonesian and U.S. stakeholders advanced bilateral investment cooperation during the Indonesia–US Business Roundtable 2025 in Washington, D.C., on 2 December 2025. The Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) co-hosted the forum as a follow-up to the Indonesia Business Mission (IDBM) 2025 held in October. Organizers aimed to review outcomes from IDBM, identify unresolved issues, and outline new opportunities ahead of 2026.
The Embassy, Bank Indonesia, and the Ministry of Investment engaged directly with representatives from 17 major U.S. companies. Participants shared positive views on their investment experience in Indonesia and assessed progress, remaining challenges, and emerging prospects across multiple sectors.
Indonesian Ambassador Indroyono Soesilo encouraged U.S. investors to deliver direct input on the investment climate. He emphasized that the government continues to improve regulatory processes and create more attractive conditions for mutually beneficial partnerships. Acting Director General for American and European Affairs, Kamapradipta Isnomo, reaffirmed Indonesia’s priority sectors—food and energy security, industrialization and downstreaming, digital transformation, and human capital development—and underscored the government’s commitment to lowering barriers and expanding opportunities.
USABC President and CEO Ambassador (ret.) Brian McFeeters led the U.S. private-sector delegation and acknowledged the Embassy’s active collaboration. He highlighted the need for consistent coordination and follow-up to ensure concrete results. Companies raised several issues requiring further action, including the implementation of Government Regulation No. 28/2025 to accelerate investment licensing, the approval process for submarine cable installation supporting data center and AI infrastructure, and financing mechanisms involving the U.S. Exim Bank. Businesses also noted the importance of finalizing the reciprocal tariff agreement between the two countries.
Data presented by USABC showed that U.S. firms invested USD 67 billion in Indonesia between 2014 and 2023, generating an estimated USD 128 billion in economic impact. These investments created over one million jobs, provided digital skills training for more than five million people, and supported over 300,000 individuals through social and health programs. Major U.S. companies highlighted their ongoing operations in Indonesia, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bell-Textron, Cargill, and Marriott International.
The Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C. plans to coordinate continuous follow-up on the forum’s outcomes and will convene a similar roundtable next year. Organizers expect future discussions to include the introduction of the upcoming Bappenas Blue Book and Green Book as references for investment opportunities in Indonesia. (*)
