Prabowo Ally Sufmi Dasco Urges Delay of 105,000 India Pickup Imports

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a senior Gerindra Party figure and close political ally of President Prabowo Subianto, has asked the government to delay a plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India for the Red and White Village Cooperatives program, he said on Monday, Feb 23, 2026 in Jakarta. The intervention, seen as carrying significant political weight due to his proximity to the president, could affect procurement worth Rp 24.66 trillion, equal to $1.54 billion, and reshape domestic automotive policy.

Dasco said he had conveyed a message to the government to postpone the plan until Prabowo returned from an overseas visit and personally reviewed the proposal. He stressed that the president would discuss the issue with stakeholders and calculate the readiness of domestic manufacturers before making a final decision.

"I have conveyed a message to the government for the plan to be postponed for now, considering the President is still abroad," Dasco said. "The President will discuss it thoroughly with various parties and assess the readiness of domestic companies."

As a key parliamentary ally instrumental in steering legislative initiatives aligned with Prabowo’s agenda, Dasco’s remarks were widely interpreted as reflecting the president’s broader industrial priorities. The Red and White Village Cooperatives initiative was launched under Presidential Instruction No. 17 of 2025 to strengthen rural economies through cooperative-based development.

Of the 160,000 vehicles required in 2026, 55,000 units were allocated to domestic brand holders, while 105,000 units were planned to be sourced from India due to perceived production limits at home. The procurement was assigned to PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara as the implementing entity.

Industry Pushback Intensifies

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry or Kadin Indonesia, the country’s largest business lobby, praised Dasco’s stance and said his swift response aligned with industry aspirations. Saleh Husin, Deputy Chairman for Industry Affairs, warned that importing completely built up vehicles could undermine national automotive supply chains.

"We highly appreciate Mas Dasco’s swift response. Imagine if 105,000 vehicles used by the cooperatives were imported products, what would happen to after-sales service and spare parts availability?" Saleh said. "Such a policy could turn imported vehicles into scrap after several years due to parts shortages."

Saleh said domestic producers had coordinated with lawmakers and urged the president to halt ongoing imports. He added that if Indian manufacturers were serious about the Indonesian market, they should build factories locally as other global automakers had done.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita also said domestic manufacturers were capable of producing pickup vehicles at scale and that local sourcing would generate stronger multiplier effects. Observers noted that Dasco’s intervention underscored the political sensitivity of the issue, given his role as one of Prabowo’s most trusted figures in parliament.