Indonesia to halt new diesel import permits in 2026

By Calvin Purba

Indonesia will stop issuing new diesel import permits in 2026 following the completion of the Balikpapan Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) project, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the government has begun implementing the policy this year, citing sufficient domestic refining capacity.

 “We have started this year. I will no longer issue diesel import permits,” Bahlil told reporters in Balikpapan on Monday. “Starting this year, there will be no more diesel import permits.”

Any diesel imports recorded this year would be part of quotas approved in 2025, he added.

Read also : Energy minister reaffirms plan to end diesel imports in 2026

 “But this year, under the President’s instruction, because we already have adequate refinery capacity, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will no longer issue import permits,” Bahlil said.

The halt will be implemented gradually. Imports of CN48 diesel have been fully stopped, while imports of CN51 diesel will end in the second half of the year.

 “For CN48, imports have been completely stopped. For CN51, there will be no more imports starting in the second semester,” he said.

Bahlil said the Balikpapan RDMP project will add 5.8 million kiloliters to Indonesia’s domestic fuel production capacity.

Indonesia currently imports about 24 million kiloliters of gasoline annually, while domestic production stands at around 14 million kiloliters. With the additional capacity, total domestic output is expected to rise to about 20 million kiloliters, he said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak