Jakarta – The government is targeting the completion of 18 strategic downstream projects worth Rp 618.13 trillion before the end of 2025. This step is a crucial part of the broader journey toward national economic and energy independence. The cross-sector downstreaming program is designed as a concrete manifestation of President Prabowo Subianto’s vision to make Indonesia a strong, competitive, and energy-independent industrial nation.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Ahmad Erani Yustika, explained that the government is expediting the completion of pre-feasibility studies (FS) for the 18 downstream projects. He targets completion of all studies before the end of 2025, allowing construction to begin in 2026.
“It will certainly be carried out in stages. But everything will definitely be completed by the end of this year. Because the project must be executed immediately,” said Ahmad.
One of the priority projects being focused on is the development of Dimethyl Ether (DME), which is expected to reduce dependence on LPG imports while optimizing the huge potential of domestic gas as a clean and renewable energy source.
Previously, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia emphasized that President Prabowo Subianto, in a limited meeting at the Merdeka Palace, emphasized the importance of accelerating all cross-sector downstream projects. He stated that the 18 strategic projects, valued at over Rp600 trillion, must enter the physical construction phase by 2026.
“Accelerating downstream development in the fisheries sector, agriculture, and energy and coal. The President’s directive regarding the 18 projects that have completed the pre-FS phase and have been discussed with Danantara is that we will complete all of them this year,” Bahlil said.
He also stated that downstreaming will create quality jobs with decent wages. Meanwhile, the Downstreaming Task Force, along with Danantara, continues to strengthen cross-sector coordination to formulate financing schemes, business models, and project locations.
“This (downstream project) will create good jobs with decent wages. The team is also ensuring the resolution of various licensing issues and social and environmental mitigation efforts, so that the project’s implementation can be integrated and sustainable,” he stressed.
In terms of funding, Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani revealed that downstream investment is now a major contributor to national investment realization. By the second half of 2025, Danantara had secured US$7 billion in funding commitments from various international sovereign wealth funds.
“Of the USD 7 billion, USD 4 billion is with Qatar, then USD 2 billion with CIC (China Investment Corporation), and also with RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund),” said Rosan.
Through this policy, the government places high hopes that the completion of all feasibility studies by 2025 will lay a strong foundation for national industrialization. With a total investment value of Rp 618 trillion, these projects are expected to absorb more than 270,000 workers, strengthen national energy security, and accelerate LPG import substitution through the development of DME.