06/07/26 | 11:12 am | India-Indonesia

Print

From $4.3 billion to $38.84 billion: India-Indonesia trade expands over two decades

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Indonesia on Monday for a three-day official visit aimed at reviewing bilateral ties and strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The visit, scheduled from July 6 to 8, is Prime Minister Modi’s first bilateral visit to Indonesia since India and Indonesia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2018.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indonesia has emerged as India’s second-largest trading partner in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade has expanded significantly over the past two decades, increasing from US$4.3 billion in 2005-06 to US$38.84 billion in 2022-23. In 2024-25, total bilateral trade stood at US$28.15 billion.

Commerce Ministry data shows that India’s exports to Indonesia were valued at US$5.38 billion in 2024-25, while imports stood at US$22.78 billion, taking total trade to US$28.15 billion.

India is the second-largest buyer of coal from Indonesia and the largest importer of Indonesian crude palm oil. India also imports minerals, rubber, pulp and paper, and hydrocarbons from Indonesia. Indian exports to Indonesia include refined petroleum products, commercial vehicles, telecommunications equipment, agricultural commodities, bovine meat, steel products and plastics.

Trade between the two countries has recorded steady growth over recent years. According to the Department of Commerce, bilateral trade stood at US$17.49 billion in 2020-21, rising to US$26.17 billion in 2021-22 and reaching US$38.84 billion in 2022-23. It was US$29.40 billion in 2023-24 and US$28.15 billion in 2024-25. During April 2025-February 2026, bilateral trade had already reached US$22.72 billion.

Investment ties have also expanded over the years. According to Indonesian authorities, Indian companies have invested US$1.56 billion across 7,292 projects in Indonesia between 2000 and 2024. Data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) shows that Indonesia’s cumulative investment in India stood at US$668.37 million between January 2000 and September 2025.

Around 100 Indian companies and joint ventures currently operate in Indonesia across various sectors.

Tourism and air connectivity have also witnessed growth. Air India’s services on the Delhi-Bali route have increased from seven flights a week to ten to meet rising travel demand. At present, four direct air routes connect India and Indonesia: Jakarta-Mumbai, Bali-Bengaluru, Bali-Mumbai and Bali-Delhi. There is currently no direct air connectivity between Jakarta and Delhi.

India emerged as the second-largest source of tourists to Bali in 2023, after Australia. In 2024, India ranked as the fifth-largest source of international tourists to Indonesia, with 7.1 lakh Indian visitors, behind Malaysia, Australia, Singapore and China.

RELATED ARTICLES

4 hours ago | $6.3 billion heist

Binance sees outflows stabilising as exchange returns online after $6.3 billion heist

Binance customers pulled $3.64 billion, or 2.1% of its assets, as the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange resumed service after a security breach linked to North Korea saw $6.3 billion stolen from the platform last week. The exchange moved to re...

5 hours ago | 1 pc higher despite mixed global cues

Indian equity markets open up to 1 pc higher despite mixed global cues

Indian equity benchmarks opened strong on Monday, surging about 1 per cent each despite mixed global cues amid buying in energy, auto and information technology (IT) sector stocks. At open, Sensex was up 718.71 points or 0.97 per cent at 75,178.24,...

6 hours ago | 2nd-highest level of Rs 2.31 lakh cr

GST mop-up surges 23 pc to 2nd-highest level of Rs 2.31 lakh cr in Oct on festive demand boost

GST collections jumped 23 per cent year-on-year to the second-highest level of over Rs 2.31 lakh crore in October as festive buying boosted domestic demand, according to government data released on Sunday. October is the second consecutive month whe...