Indonesia to Continue Russian Oil Imports Amid Domestic Shortfalls

Indonesia will continue importing Russian crude oil as long as transactions remain economically viable and compliant with international regulations, according to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.

The confirmation comes amid domestic crude oil production falling short of targets, with output at 571,731 barrels per day as of September 8 missing the 2026 lifting target of 610,000 barrels per day.

To bridge the deficit, Indonesia is executing a multi-phase import plan totaling 150 million barrels of Russian crude through the end of 2026. The ministry's Oil and Gas Testing Center (Lemigas) is managing the procurement under government-to-government framework agreements that transition into government-to-business contracts.

Lahadalia emphasized meeting national energy demands and protecting public interests remain top government priorities amid global market volatility, citing Indonesia's long-standing free and active foreign policy as a guiding principle for these trade decisions.