Indonesia to reshape coal policy in 2026

From January to September 2025, Indonesia’s coal production fell 15% year-on-year to 509 million tonnes, while exports declined 4.7% to about 285 million tonnes. Shipments to China and India dropped by 16% and 12%, respectively.

Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia at a press conference in Jakarta on January 8, 2026 (Photo: ANTARA)
Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia at a press conference in Jakarta on January 8, 2026 (Photo: ANTARA)

Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources plans to reduce coal production to around 600 million tonnes in 2026, nearly 200 million tonnes lower than the 790 million tonnes produced in 2025.

According to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, the ministry will adjust it according to industrial demand. The production cuts are aimed at stabilising global commodity prices. Currently, global coal trade reaches approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year, with Indonesia contributing around 514 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, demand from key markets such as China and India has slowed as domestic output rises and the energy transition toward renewables accelerates. From January to September 2025, Indonesia’s coal production fell 15% year-on-year to 509 million tonnes, while exports declined 4.7% to about 285 million tonnes. Shipments to China and India dropped by 16% and 12%, respectively.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that global coal demand in 2026 will stand at around 8.78 billion tonnes, below the projected supply of 9.1 billion tonnes, prolonging the oversupply situation.

Coal prices have therefore continued to slide since early November 2025. Indonesia’s reference coal price in the first half of January 2026 fell to 103.3 USD per tonne, down from 109.74 USD per tonne at the end of October 2025 and significantly lower than 114.43 USD per tonne a year earlier.

According to Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, about 32% of coal output, equivalent to 254 million tonnes, was consumed domestically in 2025, with the remainder exported.

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Minerals and Coal is reviewing production quotas for individual companies. The government has also indicated that similar supply-control measures could be applied to other minerals, including nickel, to support downstream processing and sustainable development./.

VNA

See more

Philippines eyes non-permanent seat in UN Security Council

Philippines eyes non-permanent seat in UN Security Council

The Philippines has been working with the UN on many important global issues for decades, and its candidacy for the Security Council serves not only the country's own interests but also aims to strengthen its overall cooperation with the world's largest multilateral organisation, President Marcos said.

An Air India Express Boeing 737-300 sits on the runway at Phuket airport shortly after making a hard landing on March 11. (Photo: Phuket International Airport)

Aircraft incident disrupts operations at Thailand’s Phuket airport

Preliminary findings indicated that the aircraft made a hard landing, resulting in damage to the landing gear and nose gear assembly. The incident caused the aircraft to veer off the runway and prevented it from being moved immediately, leading airport authorities to suspend runway operations.

Indonesian authorities rescue 34 stranded pilot whales

Indonesian authorities rescue 34 stranded pilot whales

The agency's head Imam Fauzi said his team conducted rescue operations for a total of 55 stranded whales from March 9 night to March 10 in a coordinated effort involving local security forces, conservation agencies, officials, and residents. Twenty-one whales were declared dead after stranding.

Indonesia shipped 1.8 million tonnes of palm oil to the Middle East in 2025. (Photo: REUTERS)

Middle East conflict pushes up Indonesia’s palm oil export costs

The conflict, which intensified after coordinated strikes by the US and Israel on Iran’s capital Tehran late last month, had disrupted key maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, some cargo vessels were delayed or forced to take longer alternative routes, raising transport expenses and maritime insurance premiums.

Minister of State Apparatus Utilization and Bureaucratic Reform Rini Widyantini (Photo: beritasatu.com)

Indonesia steps up plan to relocate civil servants to new capital

A meeting to review progress and implementation mechanisms for the relocation plan focused on office capacity in Nusantara, the availability of official housing and the criteria for selecting ministries and agencies that will relocate in the initial phase.

Delegates at the press briefing (Photo: Tempo.co)

Indonesia likely to achieve 6% growth amid geopolitical uncertainty

At a press briefing in Jakarta on March 11 to release the state budget report, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi said the Indonesian economy remained in an expansionary phase, with macroeconomic indicators staying stable. He noted that first-quarter growth was expected to exceed the 5.39% recorded in the final quarter of 2025.

Illustrative image (Photo: Nikkei)

Cambodia increases control of fuel trading

The Cambodian Ministry of Commerce requested fuel distributors and suppliers to instruct units within their networks to strictly manage fuel trading activities in accordance with technical standards, operational procedures and their internal regulations.

International visitors gather at a Vietnamese coffee stand during an event held at the United Nations headquarters. (Photo: VNA)

UN adopts resolution designating International Coffee Day

As a member of the core group promoting the initiative, Vietnam actively worked with partners to advance the proposal, helping strengthen international cooperation for the sustainable development of the global coffee value chain while promoting the image and value of Vietnamese coffee worldwide.

Participants at the WTO’s first regular meeting in 2026 in Geneva (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam pushes for consensus ahead of WTO ministerial conference

Vietnam stressed the importance of ensuring policy space for WTO members, particularly amid green and digital transitions, while calling for the full and effective restoration of the WTO’s dispute settlement system – an important pillar of the multilateral trading system.

Illustrative photo: Internet

Malaysia’s semiconductor market may reach 4.6 billion USD by 2030

Based on forecasts by LightCounting, a market research firm specialising in optical communications and photonics, the OSAT share of the datacom market in Malaysia could grow from about 1.7 billion USD in 2025 to 4.6 billion USD by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of around 22%.