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Indonesia plans to start importing crude oil from Russia as early as April 2026 to address its growing energy deficit, according to the country’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia. The move comes as Indonesia’s domestic oil production of approximately 600,000 barrels per day falls significantly short of its daily consumption of 1.6 million barrels, creating an annual shortfall of around 300 million barrels that must be met through imports.

The announcement was made during a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow at the Kremlin, where both leaders discussed expanding cooperation in energy and other sectors. Lahadalia stated that Indonesia needs to expand its energy cooperation with global producers, including Russia and African nations, to ensure energy security and support long-term economic stability.

Russia, which already supplies crude oil to BRICS members China and India, is positioning itself as a key energy partner for Indonesia following its recent accession to the BRICS bloc. Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilev confirmed Russia’s readiness to cooperate with Indonesia in oil and gas supply, storage, and electricity, including nuclear power station development.

The Indonesian government emphasized that its energy procurement strategy remains independent and active, with supplies sourced from any country as long as strong partnerships are maintained. Lahadalia noted that Indonesia must explore oil reserves from various sources rather than relying on a single supplier to meet its energy requirements.

In addition to crude oil, Indonesia is also addressing its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) needs, with domestic production capacity estimated at 1.6 million tonnes annually against projected demand of 10 million tonnes by 2026. The country views expanded energy cooperation with Russia as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its position within the BRICS alliance while maintaining an independent foreign policy approach.