General Information

Direct Foreign Investments (DFI) in Indonesia grew from USD 19.5 billion in 2011 to 28.2 billion in 2019, with the exception of a fall in the first quarter of 2020, have continued to grow, following the measures taken by the BKPM (Foreign Investment Coordination Board) aiming to simplify and accelerate the approval procedures for foreign investments.

4 to 6 months are required to found a company in Indonesia.

The minimum capital for the establishment of a company in Indonesia is 2.5 billion IDR (around 178k USD at the current exchange rate), which corresponds to the minimum capital to be released (the minimum capital being 10 billion IDR, but without the obligation to pay out this sum).

With its 270 million inhabitants and a middle class that doubles in size every 5 years, Indonesia offers many opportunities (large investments in infrastructure and strong growth in consumer goods). But to conduct business in Indonesia it is generally necessary to use agents, distributors or other intermediaries.

Developing a good trade relationship can take time and often requires several meetings before the conclusion of negotiations. Business relationships are based on trust and familiarity, and thus it is important to establish personal contacts and a network.

Means of Payment & Banking Specificities

Taking into account the non-convertibility of the ringgit outside of the country, it is preferably to carry out transactions in USD or in any other foreign currency to avoid the exchange risks.

It is strongly recommended to work on the basis of a documentary credit confirmed by international banks such as Crédit Agricole.

Note: The French Embassy in Jakarta also covers East Timor.