An aerial photo shows container trucks transporting cargo into the Kendari New Port area, Southeast Sulawesi, Wednesday (July 29, 2026). ANTARA FOTO/Andry Denisah/hma Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of US$3.58 billion in the first half of 2026, driven by strong manufacturing exports despite a monthly deficit recorded in June, the country’s official statistics agency announced Monday. “Throughout January to June 2026, Indonesia’s trade balance in goods posted a US$3.58 billion surplus,” said Ateng Hartono, Deputy for Distribution and Service Statistics at Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The half-year surplus was buoyed by a robust US$19.35 billion surplus in non-oil and gas commodities, which helped offset a US$15.77 billion deficit in the oil and gas sector. Total exports reached US$140.81 billion during the January–June period, up 4.13 percent year-on-year. The manufacturing industry served as the main engine of growth, contributing 6.18 percentage points to overall export expansion. Meanwhile, total imports for the first six months rose 18.69 percent year-on-year to approximately US$137.24 billion. Despite the positive cumulative numbers for the first half of the year, Indonesia logged a US$450 million trade deficit in June 2026, as monthly exports of US$25.46 billion were outweighed by US$25.91 billion in imports. Translator: Arnidhya Nur Zhafira, Nabil IhsanEditor: Aditya Eko Sigit WicaksonoCopyright © ANTARA 2026 https://en.antaranews.com/news/425221/indonesia-posts-us358-billion-trade-surplus-in-h1-2026

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono (right) and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (left) hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila, the Philippines, on Thurday (July 23, 2026). (ANTARA/HO-Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is intensifying diplomatic efforts to accelerate the signing of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA), describing the pact as a strategic economic bridge between Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the 27-member bloc. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono reiterated the importance of the agreement during a bilateral meeting with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Post-Ministerial Conferences (AMM/PMC) in Manila on Thursday (July 23). “The signing of the IEU-CEPA is highly strategic for strengthening trade, investment, and economic partnership between Indonesia and the EU,” Sugiono said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The renewed push comes as both sides work toward an ambitious timeline following the conclusion of the substantive negotiations in 2025. Officials are targeting ratification in the second half of 2026, paving the way for the IEU-CEPA to enter into force in early 2027. The process entered a key phase earlier this month when the European Commission submitted proposals for the signing and conclusion of both the IEU-CEPA and the accompanying Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) to the Council of the European Union. According to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, the agreements must first secure approval from the Council of the European Union before being submitted to the European Parliament for final consent. Indonesia is also continuing its domestic ratification process in parallel. Under the IEU-CEPA and IPA, the EU will eliminate import duties on 98.5 percent of tariff lines, simplify export procedures, and create greater investment opportunities in strategic sectors such as electric vehicles, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. For Indonesia, the agreement is expected to expand export market access across the European Union, improve the competitiveness of domestic products, attract high-quality investment, and strengthen the country’s integration into global value chains. Energy transition Beyond trade, the bilateral talks also underscored a shared commitment to advancing the global energy transition. Sugiono highlighted Indonesia’s vast renewable energy potential and called for stronger cooperation with the EU in renewable energy development and sustainable investment. “Indonesia has great potential in developing renewable energy. Cooperation with the EU is crucial to realizing this potential,” Sugiono said. Addressing broader regional and global challenges, Sugiono and Kallas also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening multilateralism, emphasizing that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy to achieve lasting peace. Translator: Yashinta Difa Editor: M Razi Rahman Copyright © ANTARA 2026 Link to the article: https://en.antaranews.com/news/424095/indonesia-pushes-eu-to-fast-track-landmark-trade-deal

High metal fences are seen on Aug. 31 around Kota Kasablanka shopping mall in South Jakarta. (Kompas.com/Hanifah Salsabila) Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has urged the public to remain calm and ordered shopping malls and office buildings to remove the newly built high perimeter fences around their premises, ensuring that the capital remains safe amid fears of a recurrence of last year’s August riots. Some shopping malls and office buildings in the capital have recently erected high metal fences, eliciting fears of potential unrest equaling last year’s riots and forcing both business groups and governments at various levels to downplay public concerns. Images of newly-built fences barricading shopping centers, including Kota Kasablanka and Blok M Plaza in South Jakarta and FX Sudirman in Central Jakarta, made rounds on social media recently, prompting speculation that businesses were preparing for possible unrest. Another perimeter barrier has been installed recently at the building of state-owned lender Bank BNI in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Pramono said he believed businesses might be worried about a recurrence of the unrest seen last August in Jakarta. But he assured that Jakarta remains safe, saying that his office has been working with law enforcement agencies to maintain public order. “Those [barriers] may be built due to safety concerns. But I’ll definitely ask for those fences to be removed as soon as possible,” he said, as quoted from Antara. Thousands of people across Indonesia held rallies in late August of last year to protest against economic inequality and lavish perks for lawmakers. In Jakarta, which historically has been the country’s epicenter for political movement, the unrest escalated quickly after an online motorcycle transportation driver fatally struck by a police vehicle while merely passing by the protest area near the Senayan Legislative Complex. Jakarta suffered Rp 55 billion (US$3.05 million) in economic losses from damaged infrastructures during the two-week long protests, according to the city administration. According to the Indonesian Shopping Center Association (APPBI), the newly installed fences were not intended to anticipate “emergency situations” but merely to maintain security and to clearly define mall boundaries. But APPBI chairman Alphonzus Widjaja acknowledged that since some malls are situated in strategic areas prone to protests, establishing clearer boundaries has become essential. “If some shopping centers have only now started installing fences, the decision is largely for the sake of public order,” he said on Friday. Indonesia Retail and Tenant Association (Hippindo) chairman Budiharjo Iduansjah said the fencing might be aimed at regulating better visitor flows to prevent traffic congestion and other inconveniences. “We believe that as long as the government continues to provide strong support, the right incentives and policies for businesses, especially to create more jobs, then there is no need to worry about [security] concerns,” he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. Conglomerate group Pakuwon, which manages Kota Kasablanka and Blok M Plaza, denied that the fencing at the two malls were intended to anticipate any “undesirable events” in the future, saying the barriers were meant to improve visitor safety. On Sunday, Kota Kasablanka shopping mall reportedly started to remove fences from its building. Meanwhile, BNI corporate secretary Okki Rushartomo said that the metal barriers at its Tanah Abang building had been planned since last year as part of efforts to reorganize the area. Special presidential advisor for communications Hasan Nasbi urged the public to refrain from “fear-mongering” and to verify any information before spreading it. “Let’s pray that our nation remains safe. So let’s not amplify negative news,” he said, as quoted by Kompas.com. Written by: Gembong Hanung (The Jakarta Post) This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “Pramono urges calm as fear of August riot repeat unnerves shopping malls”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2026/08/03/pramono-urges-calm-as-fear-of-august-riot-repeat-unnerves-shopping-malls?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=home_headlines.

A plane bearing the livery of low-cost airline Citilink taxis down a runway on Jan. 10, 2025, as a plane operated by ultralow-cost carrier Super Air Jet lands on a runway at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo) Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia expanded the fleet of its low-cost subsidiary Citilink Indonesia to 43 operating aircraft by the end of June, up from 25 in the same period last year, as part of its transformation efforts backed by state asset fund Danantara. According to Citilink, the fleet expansion is part of Garuda’s strategy to strengthen overall capacity, particularly in the low-cost carrier (LCC) segment, although the budget airline did not disclose details of the scheme. “This step has strengthened Citilink’s operational capacity in expanding connectivity, boosting productivity and flight networks, as well as in capturing growth opportunities in the national LCC market,” the airline said in a statement published on Thursday. In the same statement, Citilink president director Darsito Hendroseputro said expanding the fleet reflected real progress in its transformation agenda, in line with Garuda’s ongoing strengthening efforts. “With the strategic support of Danantara in the transformation of Garuda Indonesia Group, we can accelerate aircraft readiness and improve operational capacity to accommodate growing public mobility,” Darsito said. He added the fleet expansion had laid the foundation for the airline to improve competitiveness in the LCC market as well as expand interregional connectivity and provide safe, reliable and punctual air transportation services. Citilink recorded a 21 percent rise in average daily flights in the first half of the year to 221, compared to 183 flights in the second half of 2025. During the first six months of 2026, the airline also resumed operations on several routes, including between Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta and Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, West Sumatra, as well as Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau. It also resumed services between Makassar in South Sulawesi and Palu in Central Sulawesi as well as between Jakarta and Malang, East Java. Citilink said resuming these routes was part of its strategy to develop more “adaptive and productive networks”, which it expected would boost interregional connectivity and support tourism growth and regional economies. The airline is also set to resume its services on Aug. 17 at Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, operating five domestic routes connecting the West Java capital city to its provincial peers Medan in North Sumatra, Palembang in South Sumatra, Denpasar in Bali and Surabaya in East Java, as well as Balikpapan in East Kalimantan. Danantara’s capital injection into Garuda Indonesia Group was first unveiled in June last year as part of a wider funding package to support the flag carrier. The state asset fund, which oversees all state-owned enterprises (SOEs), provided an initial investment worth Rp 6.65 trillion (US$367.8 million) in the form of a shareholder loan to fund the national airline’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business. The total funding package from Danantara is projected to reach $1 billion over several phases, with the first phase focusing on fleet maintenance and operational readiness for both the group’s full-service carrier (FSC) Garuda Indonesia and its low-cost subsidiary Citilink. The next phase will focus on optimizing operational and financial performance to support long-term business transformation. Written by: Ni Made Tasyarani (The Jakarta Post) This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “Citilink expands fleet to 43 aircraft, thanks to Danantara’s support”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2026/08/02/citilink-expands-fleet-to-43-aircraft-thanks-to-danantaras-support?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=home_popular.

Deadly shortcut: People cross railway tracks on May 3 in the Tanah Kusir area of Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. State-owned railway company Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) said 130 of the 423 railway crossings in its Daop 1 Jakarta operational area remain unguarded, prompting plans for joint enforcement with local authorities to improve transportation and public safety. (Antara/Sulthony Hasanuddin) Germany is backing the first phase of Indonesia’s Surabaya Regional Railway Line (SRRL) project with 236 million euros (US$256 million) in financing, as the country prepares to begin construction of the commuter rail line next year. The initiative, part of the European Union’s broader Global Gateway strategy, aims to develop the Greater Surabaya commuter corridor into the region’s first electrified rail line. “We are proud to contribute to Indonesia’s sustainable mobility ambitions through initiatives such as the Surabaya Regional Railway Line,” designated Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Jakarta Oliver Sperling said in a statement on Wednesday. Sperling said Germany and Indonesia had built a long-standing partnership in transport infrastructure and that German and European companies stood ready to support Indonesia’s transition toward climate-resilient transport systems by bringing engineering expertise, innovative technologies and long-lasting infrastructure solutions.  The financing package comprises a concessional loan of approximately 230 million euros and a 6-million-euro technical assistance grant from KfW, alongside counterpart funding from the Indonesian government. It is currently undergoing detailed engineering design and procurement, with construction expected to begin between 2027 and 2028. The SRRL is among the country’s priority infrastructure projects under the 2025-2029 national development plan for the Greater Surabaya metropolitan area. Its first phase will cover a roughly 37-kilometer section connecting Surabaya Gubeng Station with Sidoarjo Station. Once operational, the upgraded railway is expected to serve more than 200,000 passengers daily and benefit over 1.3 million residents within its first two years.  “Sustainable transport is fundamental to Indonesia’s economic growth, connectivity and green transition,” said Denis Chaibi, ambassador of the EU to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam.  Chaibi said the railway project reflects the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, under which the bloc seeks to mobilize high-quality investment, share European expertise and build long-term partnerships for resilient, low-carbon infrastructure in partner countries. Read also: Whoosh structural overhaul to satisfy China, Purbaya says The SRRL has entered the detailed engineering design (DED) stage and is expected to move into procurement in early 2027, East Java Vice Governor Emil Elestianto Dardak said in his Instagram post on Wednesday.  The DED, being prepared by Japanese engineering consultant Chodai, involves producing detailed technical plans for the project, including station designs, the double-track railway alignment, electrification systems and supporting infrastructure. Emil said the Surabaya-Sidoarjo section is the only corridor in northern and southern East Java that has yet to be double-tracked, despite serving the Greater Surabaya metropolitan area, home to around 10 million people. “President Prabowo Subianto has given the clearance for it to proceed. The double track is needed because it will allow multiple rail services to operate simultaneously,” Emil said. He also said construction would prioritize land that has already been cleared for development, while local governments are preparing supporting spatial planning as part of the project’s implementation. Related Article Trump’s new tariffs are an opportunity to fight back France records around 1,000 excess deaths in heatwave Germany, Poland poised for soaring temperatures as heatwave moves east Ministry pushes mass transit to curb fuel subsidy costs Bekasi deadly train crash renews railway safety concerns Written by: Ruth Dea Juwita (The Jakarta Post) This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “Germany backs $250m Surabaya rail project set for construction next year”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2026/07/30/germany-backs-250m-surabaya-rail-project-set-for-construction-next-year

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham returned to Westminster last month after winning the Makerfield by-election © Henry Nicholls/POOL/AFP/Getty Images Andy Burnham promised to be a “pro-business” prime minister and to “take power back from Westminster” as he was crowned leader of the ruling Labour Party on Friday. In a speech in central London, the incoming premier told voters that Friday represented “the most significant change moment in our politics in 40 years” and that they should expect “a return of the Labour they once knew”. Burnham’s coronation as Labour leader was a formality: no one else stood against the former Greater Manchester mayor after Sir Keir Starmer agreed to step down as prime minister. He will become PM on Monday, when he is expected to name his cabinet. On Friday, he repeated his argument that “Britain took a series of wrong turns in the 1980s” by centralising political power and privatising essential infrastructure. Burnham wants greater state control of utilities, in particular troubled Thames Water. However, he also insisted: “Make no mistake everybody, I will be a pro-business leader of the Labour Party as I was a pro-business mayor of Greater Manchester. We turn places round together and that is the way.” Burnham sought to answer scepticism about his rushed preparations for Number 10, insisting: “I am ready . . . I have a plan.” He added that he had not yet taken decisions on his top appointments but would do so soon. He also attempted to see off criticism about his focus on Manchester and the north, promising that his tour of the country this summer would include “all parts of the UK, definitely in the south”. He said he would start by visiting Gravesend on Friday. He set out five promises to the public: to overhaul the culture within government and end factional infighting; to “build a new politics” that ends party point scoring; to “set a direction that is distinctively Labour”; to be a leader for “all places” in the UK; and to pursue his devolution agenda. In a veiled nod to criticism of Starmer, who was accused of taking an expedient rather than values-rooted approach to politics, Burnham said: “I know what I believe after 25 years as an elected Labour representative . . . I won’t change. I have a style, it’s my style. I’ll always stay close to the ground, close to the people.” Shabana Mahmood, in her role as chair of Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), confirmed Burnham’s victory on stage at the special party conference, conceding that it was “hardly a nail-biter”.  He received nominations from all 11 Labour-affiliated trade unions, all the party’s affiliated socialist societies and 379 Labour MPs. Mahmood, currently home secretary, is expected to be his pick for chancellor of the exchequer, replacing Rachel Reeves.  Starmer’s premiership unravelled after he failed to halt a slide in Labour’s polling and suffered a devastating series of setbacks in the May elections in the Scottish parliament, Welsh Senedd and English councils.  Burnham, who plotted for months to return to Westminster, stood in a by-election in Makerfield and easily defeated Reform UK. On his return to the House of Commons he soon forced Starmer to step aside.   Written & Edited by: Jim Pickard and Lucy Fisher in London Link to the article: https://www.ft.com/content/8cbd0b07-d0db-4c1a-a985-c495bd7168b8?syn-25a6b1a6=1&