Indonesia Says DSI Export Plan Will Leave Existing Requirements Unchanged
Indonesia's planned shift to a sole intermediary for strategic resource exports will change how shipments are cleared, but not exporters' dealings with overseas buyers or their compliance obligations, Trade Minister Budi Santoso said. PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia (DSI) is scheduled to take on that role starting January 1, 2027.
DSI's role and exporters' responsibilities
At an export governance outreach session in Jakarta on Friday, November 6, Budi said companies would retain the ability to negotiate and complete transactions directly with international buyers.
"So, when exporters negotiate or conduct transactions with buyers, the process remains the same—nothing has changed. Consequently, the export procedures also remain unchanged," he said.
DSI's role will be limited to managing export clearance through its system after exporters secure all required Trade Ministry permits. Budi said exporters, rather than DSI, would remain responsible for satisfying the rules that apply to their commodities.
For crude palm oil (CPO), that means continuing to meet Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) targets. Coal exporters will still need approved Work Plans and Budgets (RKAB), while ferroalloy shipments will require surveyor reports (LS).
Implementation schedule and possible exemptions
Coal, CPO and ferroalloys are the first commodities covered by the phased rollout. Full mandatory implementation for those sectors is scheduled to start no later than January 1, 2027.
The framework rests on Government Regulation No. 24 of 2026 on the Governance of Strategic Natural Resource Commodity Exports. President Prabowo Subianto signed it on May 20, 2026, according to Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), and it took effect June 1.
The Trade Ministry subsequently issued separate rules for each commodity: Regulation No. 15 of 2026 covers coal, No. 16 covers palm oil and No. 17 covers ferroalloys, according to PwC Indonesia's Legal Alert No. 67/2026.
PwC also notes that some businesses may qualify for an exemption from exporting through the designated state-owned entity. That provision applies to businesses holding government contracts or agreements covering investment, divestment and/or domestic processing or refining.
Trade covered by the framework
The three commodities account for close to US$70 billion in annual exports, Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani said at an August 24, 2026, briefing in Jakarta, Sirkularium reported. His breakdown put coal exports at US$30.35 billion, crude palm oil at US$22.67 billion and ferroalloys at US$16.43 billion.
At the same briefing, DSI described monitoring about 100 vessels and roughly 100 customs declarations each day across those commodities. According to Sirkularium, the monitoring draws together information from the SIMBARA mineral and coal system, the national single window and customs systems.
DSI had already overseen approximately US$14 billion in exports during the transition, involving 50 ports and more than 6,000 transactions, according to Cabinet Secretariat figures cited by SMM.
Government's reasons for the change
The government says the framework is intended to improve oversight of strategic commodity exports and export proceeds (DHE), while curbing capital flight. Its stated goals also include supporting sustainable economic growth, maintaining inflation and rupiah exchange rate stability, and giving Indonesia a stronger bargaining position in global trade negotiations.
As part of its case for centralizing exports through DSI, the government has cited estimated lost revenue of as much as US$908 billion over 1991–2024 from under-invoicing, transfer pricing and the diversion of export proceeds, according to Hogan Lovells Cadwalader.