Indonesia's External Debt in the first quarter of 2021 grew 7% on an annual basis or year on year (YoY), higher than the increase in the previous quarter, which was 3.5% YoY.

"The position of Indonesia's external debt at the end of the first quarter of 2021 was US$415.6 billion, equivalent (Rp5,943.08 trillion), a decrease of 0.4% quarter to quarter or quarterly compared to the position of US$417.5 billion in quarter IV / 2020. "This development is driven by the decline in the government's external debt position," said Head of the Communication Department of Bank Indonesia (BI) Erwin Haryono on Friday (21/5).

Erwin said that the government's external debt was in a lower position compared to the previous quarter. The figure in quarter I / 2021 reached US$203.4 billion or 1.4% QoQ lower than quarter IV / 2020. The decrease was due to repayment of loans maturing during the January to March period, most of which were bilateral loans.