Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has publicly addressed the controversial purchase of 105,000 Indian-made pickup trucks by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. Purbaya confirmed that the significant acquisition was financed through loans extended by Himpunan Bank-bank Milik Negara (Himbara), an association of state-owned banks.
The procurement of these pickup trucks is specifically earmarked to support the operations of Koperasi Desa Merah Putih (KDMP), or the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives. Regarding the intricate loan scheme between KDMP and Himbara, Purbaya clarified that the financing is indeed guaranteed by the State Budget (APBN). He further detailed that the government is committed to repaying this loan over the next six years. “So, Koperasi Desa Merah Putih borrowed money from Himbara. My obligation, as the Ministry of Finance, is to ensure they will make annual loan repayments of IDR 40 trillion for the next six years,” Purbaya stated during the APBN KiTA press conference at the Ministry of Finance office on Monday, February 23.
Despite the substantial financial commitment, Purbaya firmly asserted that this repayment obligation by the government to Himbara would not introduce any additional fiscal risk over the six-year period. He elaborated, “For me, the risk is clear; there is no additional fiscal risk. This is because, every year, a portion of the funds will be transferred from village funds. So, we already spend this amount annually; now, only the method of spending has changed. That is how the financing works.”
Previously, the contract value for these Indian commercial pickup vehicles, acquired by Agrinas Pangan, was estimated to reach an astonishing IDR 24.66 trillion. This project had also drawn scrutiny from Deputy Chairman of DPR RI Commission VII, Evita Nursanty, who highlighted the procurement of a total of 105,000 Completely Built Up (CBU) Indian pickup units, manufactured by both Tata Motors and Mahindra Auto.
The government’s plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks for Koperasi Desa Merah Putih (KDMP) has met with strong criticism from Rachmat Gobel, a member of DPR RI Commission VI. Gobel argued that such a policy potentially violates the “Asta Cita,” the foundational platform of the Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration. He stressed the importance of presidential aides accurately interpreting the national economic vision, encompassing concepts like Asta Cita, Prabowonomics, and Sumitronomics. Gobel contended that fiscal policy and the role of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) should be directed towards strengthening domestic industries, rather than fostering import dependency. “The presidential aides must accurately translate and implement the President’s ideals, Asta Cita, the Prabowonomics concept, and also the Sumitronomics concept. When else can we realize nationalistic and constitutional thinking as espoused by President Prabowo Subianto?” Gobel questioned on Friday, February 20, 2026.
Amidst these concerns, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, urged the government to postpone the ambitious plan to import 105,000 cars from India. The government had previously announced its intention to proceed with this large-scale vehicle import. “Regarding the plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India, I have conveyed a message to the government concerning this plan,” Dasco stated at the DPR Building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, February 23. He further elaborated on the rationale for his request, emphasizing, “It should be postponed for now, considering the president is still abroad. Naturally, the president will address this upon his return.”