Jakarta, July 20 -- The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) said securing a stable supply of nickel ore will be crucial to sustaining downstream smelter operations amid rising demand for raw materials from the processing industry.

"The government's move to relax nickel production quotas is considered an important correction to maintain the sustainability of the national downstream program," INDEF's Head of the Center of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Andry Satrio Nugroho, remarked on Monday.

He explained that the Directorate General of Minerals and Coal informed that quota adjustments will only be granted to companies that implement good corporate governance (GCG) principles, good mining practices (GMP), and com...