Indonesia’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries

Comprised of over 17,000 islands making it the world’s biggest island country by area, the Republic of Indonesia imported US$141.6 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That metric reflects a -17.3% reduction from $171.3 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Indonesia’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Indonesian imports during 2020 for each of Indonesia’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for about two-thirds (66.3%) of total Indonesian import purchases.

Indonesia’s vast array of islands shares land borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste. Indonesian maritime boundaries are with Australia, India, Malaysia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam. The resulting geographic proximity provides Indonesia with advantages in international trade for shipping and receiving commodities.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Indonesian imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Indonesia’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $39.6 billion or 28% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -11.8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 76.3% of Indonesia’s imports from mainland China.

  1. Electronic equipment: $9.4 billion
  2. Machinery: $9 billion
  3. Plastics: $1.6 billion
  4. Organic chemicals: $1.4 billion
  5. Iron and steel: $1.3 billion
  6. Iron or steel products: $992.4 million
  7. Other chemical goods: $961.4 million
  8. Vehicles: $937.5 million
  9. Fruits, nuts: $823.7 million
  10. Furniture, lighting, signs: $805.5 million
  11. Man-made filaments: $651.1 million
  12. Medical, technical equipment: $650.9 million
  13. Vegetables: $635.3 million
  14. Mineral fuels including oil: $562.4 million
  15. Knitted or crocheted fabric: $558.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from China under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 41.1% gain in revenue, mineral fuels including oil (up 10%) and vegetables (up 8%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -37.5%), man-made filaments (down -34.7%), products made from iron or steel (down -33.3%), machinery (down -16.1%), plastics as a material (down -12.9%) and vehicles (down -12.5%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Singapore

In 2020, Singapore’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $12.3 billion or 8.7% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -29.8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 87.3% of Indonesia’s imports from Singapore.

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: $4.3 billion
  2. Electronic equipment: $1.8 billion
  3. Machinery: $1.3 billion
  4. Plastics: $1 billion
  5. Organic chemicals: $659.3 million
  6. Gems, precious metals: $402.6 million
  7. Medical, technical equipment: $304.1 million
  8. Perfumes, cosmetics: $293.8 million
  9. Other chemical goods: $276.1 million
  10. Iron or steel products: $233.5 million
  11. Iron and steel: $233.5 million
  12. Tanning, dyeing extracts: $113.1 million
  13. Paper: $112.9 million
  14. Rubber: $97.1 million
  15. Ships, boats: $93.2 million

The sole increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Singapore under the machinery product category via a 4.2% gain in revenue, medical or technical equipment (up 3.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -47.6%), products made from iron or steel (down -35.7%), organic chemicals (down -35.2%), iron and steel as materials (down -30.4%), ships and boats (down -24.8%) and plastics as a material (down -22.3%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Japan

In 2020, Japan’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $10.7 billion or 7.5% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -31.9% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 87.1% of Indonesia’s imports from Japan.

  1. Machinery: $2.7 billion
  2. Iron and steel: $1.118 billion
  3. Vehicles: $1.114 billion
  4. Electronic equipment: $1 billion
  5. Plastics: $514.6 million
  6. Iron or steel products: $509.6 million
  7. Rubber: $425.6 million
  8. Medical, technical equipment: $359.1 million
  9. Other chemical goods: $295.1 million
  10. Organic chemicals: $277.4 million
  11. Ships, boats: $206.1 million
  12. Copper: $204.1 million
  13. Gems, precious metals: $178.2 million
  14. Inorganic chemicals: $156 million
  15. Man-made staple fibers: $126.8 million

The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Japan under the ships and boats product category via a 48.8% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 15.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -52.9%), machinery (down -37.8%), iron and steel as materials (down -37.8%), electronic equipment (down -30.7%), copper (down -26.7%) then products made from iron or steel (down -22.6%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Indonesia amounted to $8.6 billion or 6.1% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -7.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.1% of Indonesia’s imports from America.

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: $1.2 billion
  2. Machinery: $1 billion
  3. Oil seed: $912.7 million
  4. Food waste, animal fodder: $553.5 million
  5. Cereals: $378.1 million
  6. Electronic equipment: $370.1 million
  7. Medical, technical equipment: $363.8 million
  8. Plastics: $349.8 million
  9. Woodpulp: $330.5 million
  10. Dairy, eggs, honey: $321.5 million
  11. Other chemical goods: $283.7 million
  12. Cotton: $267.3 million
  13. Organic chemicals: $186.2 million
  14. Pharmaceuticals: $171.1 million
  15. Inorganic chemicals: $155.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from the United States under the dairy, eggs and honey product category via a 60.5% gain in revenue, organic chemicals (up 32.2%), medical or technical equipment (up 25%) then miscellaneous chemical goods (up 11.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were inorganic chemicals (down -32.6%), cotton (down -38.9%), woodpulp (down -35%), plastics as a material (down -15.2%), machinery (down -11.6%) and oil seed (down -9.5%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Malaysia

In 2020, Malaysia’s exports to Russia amounted to $6.9 billion or 4.4% of overall Russian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -10.8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 85.5% of Indonesia’s imports from Malaysia.

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: $2.2 billion
  2. Machinery: $809.9 million
  3. Electronic equipment: $665.9 million
  4. Plastics: $610.5 million
  5. Organic chemicals: $442.1 million
  6. Iron and steel: $256.8 million
  7. Other chemical goods: $179.4 million
  8. Other food preparations: $113.3 million
  9. Iron or steel products: $100.6 million
  10. Cereal, milk preparations: $93.6 million
  11. Rubber: $92.2 million
  12. Aluminum: $89.9 million
  13. Vehicles: $88.2 million
  14. Ships, boats: $81.7 million
  15. Medical, technical equipment: $71.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Malaysia under the ships and boats product category via a 74.6% gain in revenue then electronic equipment (up 19.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -56.2%), vehicles (down -35.9%), miscellaneous chemical goods (down -34.9%), plastics as a material (down -24.3%), aluminum (down -24%) and organic chemicals (down -18.8%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from South Korea

In 2020, South Korea’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $6.8 billion or 4.8% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -18.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.5% of Indonesia’s imports from South Korea.

  1. Electronic equipment: $900.8 million
  2. Machinery: $900.1 million
  3. Iron and steel: $663.5 million
  4. Plastics: $642.9 million
  5. Mineral fuels including oil: $431.9 million
  6. Knitted or crocheted fabric: $317.5 million
  7. Other chemical goods: $289.2 million
  8. Rubber: $233.6 million
  9. Iron or steel products: $233.6 million
  10. Organic chemicals: $190 million
  11. Ships, boats: $155.9 million
  12. Man-made filaments: $125.4 million
  13. Paper: $123.5 million
  14. Medical, technical equipment: $119.6 million
  15. Inorganic chemicals: $115.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from South Korea under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 140.8% gain in revenue, ships and boats (up 87.6%), products made from iron or steel (up 55.2%) and medical or technical equipment (up 23.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -63.2%), man-made filaments (down -35%), paper (down -26.8%), iron and steel as materials (down -26.8%), inorganic chemicals (down -23.1%) then knitted or crocheted fabric (down -21.7%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Thailand

In 2020, Thailand’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $6.5 billion or 4.6% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -31.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.9% of Indonesia’s imports from Thailand.

  1. Machinery: $1.1 billion
  2. Plastics: $929.6 million
  3. Vehicles: $829.1 million
  4. Sugar: $713.1 million
  5. Electronic equipment: $453.8 million
  6. Organic chemicals: $300.6 million
  7. Rubber: $158.7 million
  8. Paper: $114.3 million
  9. Iron or steel products: $110.2 million
  10. Cereal, milk preparations: $88.8 million
  11. Copper: $88.8 million
  12. Iron and steel: $86.6 million
  13. Modified starches, enzymes: $84.3 million
  14. Food waste, animal fodder: $79 million
  15. Mineral fuels including oil: $76.7 million

The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Thailand under the cereal or milk preparations product category via a 9.1% gain in revenue and food waste or animal fodder (up 7.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -47.5%), organic chemicals (down -40.6%), sugar (down -39.3%), iron and steel as materials (down -36%), products made from iron or steel (down -33.8%) then machinery (down -33.6%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Australia

In 2020, Australia’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $4.6 billion or 3.3% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -15.8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.4% of Indonesia’s imports from Australia.

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: $1.1 billion
  2. Ores, slag, ash: $453.1 million
  3. Live animals: $435.2 million
  4. Sugar: $434.2 million
  5. Meat: $304.1 million
  6. Cereals: $241.3 million
  7. Gems, precious metals: $205 million
  8. Inorganic chemicals: $143.6 million
  9. Machinery: $138 million
  10. Dairy, eggs, honey: $114.1 million
  11. Iron and steel: $101.8 million
  12. Fruits, nuts: $97.8 million
  13. Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $90.9 million
  14. Aluminum: $73.2 million
  15. Zinc: $71 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Australia under the gems and precious metals product category via a 241.2% gain in revenue, sugar (up 124%) then ores, slag and ash (up 25.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were aluminum (down -68.7%), iron and steel as materials (down -43.1%), zinc (down -36%), inorganic chemicals (down -32%), mineral fuels including oil (down -30.5%) and machinery (down -30.2%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from India

In 2020, India’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $3.8 billion or 2.7% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -12.4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 78% of Indonesia’s imports from India.

  1. Organic chemicals: $475.3 million
  2. Iron and steel: $424.3 million
  3. Machinery: $364.3 million
  4. Oil seed: $275.2 million
  5. Meat: $263.6 million
  6. Sugar: $241.6 million
  7. Vehicles: $176.1 million
  8. Electronic equipment: $116.1 million
  9. Tanning, dyeing extracts: $114 million
  10. Cotton: $102.2 million
  11. Pharmaceuticals: $85.3 million
  12. Other chemical goods: $81.7 million
  13. Plastics: $79 million
  14. Ceramic products: $72.9 million
  15. Coffee, tea, spices: $66.1 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from India under the sugar product category via a 3,854% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 112.7%), iron and steel as materials (up 72.6%), cotton (up 46.9%), oil seed (up 29.1%) and ceramic products (up 11%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -56.9%), machinery (down -42.4%), plastics (down -35.6%), electronic equipment (down -29.1%), organic chemicals (down -17.1%) and meat (down -14.9%).

Indonesia’s Main Imports from Taiwan

In 2020, Taiwan’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $3.6 billion or 2.6% of overall Indonesian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -2.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 85.9% of Indonesia’s imports from Taiwan.

  1. Electronic equipment: $1.4 billion
  2. Machinery: $493.1 million
  3. Plastics: $241.9 million
  4. Iron and steel: $202.8 million
  5. Knitted or crocheted fabric: $135 million
  6. Man-made filaments: $127.8 million
  7. Vehicles: $72.6 million
  8. Other chemical goods: $71.3 million
  9. Organic chemicals: $68.8 million
  10. Coated textile fabric: $57.6 million
  11. Inorganic chemicals: $48.4 million
  12. Rubber: $46.5 million
  13. Medical, technical equipment: $45.4 million
  14. Tanning, dyeing extracts: $43.6 million
  15. Aluminum: $43.1 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indonesian imports from Taiwan under the electronic equipment product category via a 70.2% gain in revenue, aluminum (up 23.6%), medical or technical equipment (up 23.2%) and vehicles (up 16%).

Posting the severest declines among Indonesia’s top 15 imported products were coated textile fabric (down -36.4%), organic chemicals (down -35.4%), iron and steel as materials (down -31.4%), inorganic chemicals (down -31.1%), machinery (down -26.2%) and plastics as a materials (down -21.7%).

See also

More great research: World’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, China’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, Indonesia’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, Indonesia, Borders of Indonesia

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

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