Jakarta, Sept. 23 -- Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita outlined various pressures facing the national industry, as well as the government's strategies to maintain the manufacturing sector's competitiveness amidst a challenging global economic landscape.

Speaking at the ANTARA Business Forum (ABF) 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday, he mentioned that the pressure on the industry is reflected in Indonesia's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which stood at 49.8 in August 2026, slightly below the 50-point expansion threshold.

However, he emphasized the importance of considering the situation alongside the Ministry of Industry's Industrial Confidence Index (IKI). The index reached 52.3 in August, remaining in the expans...