Indonesia pushes D-8 partnership to expand halal economy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that Indonesia's active participation in the Developing Eight (D-8) organization serves to strengthen reciprocal economic collaboration between the country and its partner nations.

"This platform provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Muslim countries and promoting Indonesian halal products with partner countries on a reciprocal basis," Purbaya said on the sidelines of the D-8 Halal Expo Indonesia (HEI) 2026 in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The minister described the D-8 HEI 2026 exhibition as an initial step in the bloc's joint efforts to bolster the sharia economy and the halal industry, both within individual member states and on a global scale.

As a concrete example of potential collaboration, Purbaya highlighted the development of halal gelatin as a key priority to replace widespread non-halal alternatives.

He urged D-8 member countries to co-invest in scaling up manufacturing infrastructure.

Beyond product trade, he emphasized that reciprocal investment must become the foundation of the alliance's future economic architecture.

"We will continue to enhance cooperation with the D-8, including inviting their investors and sending our own investors there," Purbaya added.

The push for closer economic integration comes as the D-8 aims for an ambitious internal trade target of US$500 billion by 2030.

According to earlier remarks by Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta, intra-bloc trade currently hovers between US$150 billion and US$160 billion, even after welcoming Azerbaijan as the newest member nation in 2025.

To bridge this gap, Indonesia is pushing for a complementary economic approach to maximize trade efficiency among members.

The D-8 HEI 2026 exhibition, running from July 8 to 12, 2026, serves as the immediate staging ground for these diplomatic and commercial ambitions.

The five-day event features high-level trade exhibitions, dedicated B2B business matching facilities, policy panel discussions and international cultural showcases designed to facilitate trade agreements and investment partnerships.

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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Yashinta Difa

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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