Central Halmahera. Indonesia marked a new milestone in its ambition to become a major player in the global electric vehicle (EV) supply chain on Thursday, as President Prabowo Subianto launched the country's first EV battery exports and 11 industrial projects worth $10.2 billion at the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in North Maluku.

Seven of the 11 projects are entering the construction phase, while four have begun commercial operations, according to Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani.

The industrial projects cover nickel-based battery materials, EV battery separators and electrolytes, aluminum production, photovoltaic glass for solar panels and electric heavy-duty vehicles used in mining and other industries.

The first battery exports are being undertaken by REPT Battero Indonesia, one of the companies operating in the industrial complex.

"We will become an important part of the global electric vehicle battery supply chain," Rosan said during the ceremony, which was broadcast live on the government's YouTube channel.

IWIP has attracted approximately $20 billion in realized investment since beginning operations in 2018, with another $7 billion in investment commitments expected to bring the total to $27 billion, Rosan said.

The industrial park now hosts 52 companies from various countries and employs approximately 117,000 workers, making it one of Indonesia's major industrial centers outside Java.

Exports from IWIP have reached $11 billion, according to Rosan. Combined with exports from the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, which is also part of Indonesia's nickel-processing and battery supply chain, the two industrial complexes account for approximately $28 billion in exports.

Rosan said the combined figure was equivalent to around 10% of Indonesia's total exports.

Prabowo Sees Bright Future 
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prabowo described the first EV battery exports as evidence that Indonesia's downstream industrialization strategy was delivering results.

"Every month, there are predictions that we are going to collapse. But today, I came here and saw that Indonesia's future is bright," Prabowo said.

He said the development of Weda Bay and its industrial ecosystem demonstrated the country's ability to attract investment and build manufacturing capacity around its natural resources.

Prabowo also acknowledged the contribution of previous administrations, particularly that of former President Joko Widodo, who championed nickel industrialization and laid the groundwork for Indonesia's EV battery ecosystem.

"What we have witnessed today cannot be separated from what was done yesterday," Prabowo said.

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