Key Highlights:

• Indonesia’s total imports in 2025 reached $241.83 billion and are spread across fuel, machinery, electronics, chemicals, and raw materials

• The top 10 imports of Indonesia account for approximately $152 billion

• Mineral fuels under HS Code 27 at $36.80B are Indonesia's largest import

• China stands as a dominant supplier to Indonesia at $87.53B which is four times more than Singapore at $19.16B

• Organic and specialty chemicals (HS 29 and HS 38) together exceed $11B

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Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s most resource-rich economies, yet its economy runs on a steady flow of imports. The country depends on imports to support manufacturing, infrastructure projects, and everyday consumption. The sectors that need inputs it doesn’t produce domestically generate substantial import volumes, regardless of what resources the country has.

Some of the largest imports might not be what you'd expect from a major commodity exporter. That’s because modern manufacturing often requires specialized products and components that aren't produced locally at the scale businesses need. This article breaks down the top import products of Indonesia in 2025 - not just what they are, but what each category tells you about where this economy is investing, expanding, and building capacity.

Indonesia Import Landscape in 2025

Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy, and its import profile reflects an economy in genuine acceleration. The total imports in 2025 reached a significant scale $241.83 billion supported by three forces that included rapid industrialisation, large-scale infrastructure spending, and a domestic consumer base of 270+ million people. The interesting thing to understand about Indonesia imports is that most of what comes in isn’t finished consumer goods. It sits in fuel, machinery, industrial chemicals, and raw materials. These inputs feed factories, power plants, and construction sites rather than retail shelves. This structure tells you that Indonesia is building productive capacity, not just consuming.

Manufacturing sectors like electronics assembly, automotive, food processing, petrochemicals - all depend on imported components and machinery that aren't produced domestically at adequate scale. Similarly, infrastructure development, which remains a government priority, pulls in steel, equipment, and precision instruments. Indonesia imports 2025 data shows a country that's importing to produce and build, not just to consume.

Major Import Products of Indonesia in 2025

The table below covers the ten largest Indonesia import products by HS code and trade value. Together, they span energy, industrial equipment, electronics, chemicals, and raw materials - inputs that keep Indonesia's economy moving.

HS Code	Description	Value (USD)
27	Mineral fuels and petroleum products	$36.80B
84	Machinery and mechanical appliances	$36.64B
85	Electrical machinery and equipment	$31.87B
87	Vehicles and automotive parts	$10.99B
39	Plastics and plastic products	$10.42B
72	Iron and steel	$9.52B
29	Organic chemicals	$6.25B
38	Chemical products	$5.19B
71	Precious stones, metals, and jewelry	$5.16B
90	Medical and precision instruments	$4.78B

 

Mineral Fuels and Petroleum Products (HS 27)

This is the most surprising of all top import products of Indonesia. This is because the country is a coal exporter but still imports nearly $37B worth of petroleum products annually. The reason behind it is that domestic oil production has been declining for decades while demand has grown. Indonesia left OPEC in 2009 precisely because it had become a net oil importer. Transportation, power generation, and petrochemical manufacturing all run on imported refined fuel. Indonesia's refining capacity hasn't kept pace with consumption, so it imports both crude oil for domestic refining and refined products directly. The key suppliers are Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Australia, and Singapore.

Machinery and Mechanical Appliances (HS 84)

Machinery with total imports of $36.64B tells something important about the trajectory of Indonesian industry. This category covers industrial machines, turbines, engines, construction equipment, and processing machinery across sectors from food manufacturing to mining. They are in demand as Indonesia's industrial base is expanding. New factories, upgraded processing facilities, and large infrastructure projects all require machinery that isn't manufactured domestically at sufficient volume or specification. The key suppliers for this product category to Indonesia are China, Japan, Germany, and the USA.

Electrical Machinery and Equipment (HS 85)

Electrical machinery and components are among the most structurally significant top Indonesia import products and also the most strategically interesting. This category covers semiconductors, circuit boards, electronic components, and electrical equipment used across manufacturing and infrastructure. It's in demand as Indonesia's electronics assembly sector imports components for production. As the country positions itself as a regional electronics manufacturing base (partly through the China-plus-one supply chain shift), imports in this category are likely to grow before they shrink.

Vehicles and Automotive Parts (HS 87)

Vehicles and automotive parts sit at nearly $11B, reflecting both consumer demand and commercial activity. Indonesia's car ownership rate is still relatively low by regional standards, which means vehicle imports are partly discretionary consumer goods and partly essential commercial inputs - trucks, construction vehicles, logistics fleets. It’s in demand as the economic growth is increasing private vehicle demand. Simultaneously, infrastructure and logistics activity are sustaining commercial vehicle imports. The key markets supplying products under HS 87 include Japan, Thailand, China, and Germany.

Plastics and Plastic Products (HS 39)

Plastics imports are one of the top import products of Indonesia that get very little public attention despite their commercial significance. Plastic resin and semi-finished plastic products feed into packaging, consumer goods manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and electronics - essentially any sector that makes or packages a physical product. It’s in demand as Indonesia doesn't produce petrochemical feedstock at a scale sufficient to meet domestic plastics manufacturing demand. The import dependency here is structural, not temporary.

Iron and Steel (HS 72)

Steel imports reflect Indonesia's construction and infrastructure activity in direct terms. Among the top import products of Indonesia, iron and steel (HS 72) is one of the most straightforward - steel in equals construction out. The government's infrastructure investment programme has sustained consistent demand across steel products from structural sections to pipes and reinforcing bars. The countries supplying iron and steel to Indonesia are China, Japan, South Korea, and India. There's also a structural irony here. Indonesia is also a significant iron and steel exporter - downstream processing of domestic nickel has made it a meaningful stainless steel producer. Yet it still imports significant volumes of carbon steel and speciality grades that domestic mills don't produce.

Organic Chemicals (HS 29)

Organic chemicals are among the less visible but commercially important major imports of Indonesia. This category covers chemical inputs used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, synthetic fibres, rubber processing, and industrial manufacturing. Indonesia's pharmaceutical industry, which has grown substantially, depends on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and chemical intermediates. Similarly, the agricultural sector uses imported agrochemical inputs at scale.

Chemical Products (HS 38)

Products under HS 38 covers miscellaneous chemical products - prepared reagents, surface-active agents, adhesives, and specialty industrial chemicals. These are manufacturing inputs rather than consumer products, supporting everything from rubber production to electronics assembly. As Indonesia's manufacturing base broadens, so does its demand for specialty chemicals. Many of these products aren't produced domestically in the required grades or volumes. China, Germany, USA, and Singapore are the major suppliers of chemical products in Indonesia.

Precious Stones, Metals, and Jewelry (HS 71)

Gold dominates this category and Indonesia often imports it from Singapore and Switzerland for use in domestic jewelry manufacturing, investment, and increasingly, electronics manufacturing where gold is used in certain component processes. It’s in demand because Indonesia has an established domestic jewelry market, and gold as an investment vehicle has strong cultural and financial significance. The category also includes rough diamonds and gemstones used in domestic manufacturing.

Medical and Precision Instruments (HS 90)

Healthcare and precision manufacturing drive this category. The healthcare sector in Indonesia has seen real investments in recent years and most medical devices like diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, imaging systems are imported because domestic manufacturing capacity in this space remains limited. This category is in demand because Indonesia's healthcare infrastructure is expanding as the middle class grows and public health spending increases. Medical instruments need replacing and upgrading regularly, creating consistent import demand.

Which Countries Export the Most Goods to Indonesia?

Country	Value (USD)
China	$87.53B
Singapore	$19.16B
Japan	$14.46B
USA	$12.87B
Malaysia	$11.12B
Australia	$9.35B
Thailand	$8.90B
Republic of Korea	$7.89B
Vietnam	$6.14B
India	$4.83B

 

China at $87.53B is the dominant figure in the table as the figure is four times the second-largest supplier, Singapore at $19.16B. China supplies nearly every major import category machinery, electronics, steel, chemicals, plastics, and consumer goods. Singapore at $19.16B function partly as a direct supplier and partly as a regional logistics and re-export hub - some portion of what Indonesia receives through Singapore originates elsewhere and is processed or consolidated there first. Japan at $14.46B and South Korea at $7.89B supply primarily industrial equipment, vehicles, and electronics components - high-specification goods where quality and technical reliability matter more than price. The USA at $12.87B supplies a similar mix, with additional weight in agricultural products and aircraft. Australia at $9.35B is primarily a raw material and energy supplier - coal, LNG, and agricultural commodities. Malaysia at $11.12B and Thailand at $8.90B supply processed goods, components, and chemicals that circulate within regional manufacturing networks under RCEP and ASEAN trade arrangements.

What Trade Data Tells You About Import Trend?

Import statistics give you the data of what, which categories, which values, and which countries are involved in the trade. Trade intelligence gives you more specific details like which companies are buying, from whom, in what volumes, and how those patterns are shifting month to month. For a supplier targeting the Indonesian market, understanding which Indonesian manufacturers are actively ordering, what specifications they're sourcing, and which suppliers are gaining or losing share - that's what shapes a market entry or pricing decision. Indonesia's import data lets traders and suppliers spot where demand is tightening before the headline numbers catch up.

Wrapping Up

Indonesia’s import profile in 2025 reflects an expanding economy. The mentioned import products in the blog dominate because Indonesia is manufacturing, constructing, and expanding not just consuming. For traders and suppliers, the categories to watch most closely are machinery and electrical equipment - both are above $30B and both tied to structural trends that won't reverse quickly.

If you’re an exporter looking to expand your market in Indonesia, or want to understand which buyers are active across specific HS categories, accurate Indonesia import data is where the decision-making starts. EX-IM By The Dollar Business gives you the shipment-level trade intelligence, real buyer names, supplier details, HS code breakdowns, and trend data. These details help you make decisions based on real data not predictions leading to accurate trade decisions. Book a demo today to explore Indonesia import data for the categories most relevant to your business!

 
Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I find Indonesia import export data?
You can find Indonesia import export data on trade intel platforms like EX-IM By The Dollar Business which gives you details of supplier-buyer, shipment records, and much more helping you make better trade decisions.

2. What does Indonesia import the most?
Indonesia imported $36.80B worth of imports in 2025 under HS 27 which includes Mineral fuels and petroleum products.

3. Which country exports the most to Indonesia?
China leads by a wide margin at $87.53B in 2025 which is more than four times Singapore's $19.16B in second place. It supplies major things like machinery, electronics, steel, chemicals, and plastics.

4. Why does Indonesia import so much fuel?
Indonesia imports so much fuel despite being a resource-rich country because the domestic oil production has been declining for decades while consumption has grown, and the country's refining capacity hasn't kept pace. So it imports both crude oil and refined petroleum products to cover the gap.

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