JAKARTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's external debt declined slightly in July to 432.5 billion U.S. dollars, down from 434.1 billion dollars in June, Bank Indonesia (BI) said on Monday.
On an annual basis, external debt grew by 4.1 percent, slowing from 6.3 percent in the previous month. The development was mainly driven by slower growth in public sector external debt, along with the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against global currencies, including the rupiah.
Government external debt reached 211.7 billion dollars in July, recording a 9.0 percent year-on-year increase, lower than June's 10.0 percent growth. The moderation reflected slower growth in external loans and government securities.
Private external debt remained stable at 195.6 billion dollars, contracting by 0.3 percent year-on-year, similar to the contraction in June.
Indonesia's external debt structure is considered healthy, with the external debt-to-GDP ratio declining to 30.0 percent in July from 30.5 percent in June. Long-term external debt continued to dominate, accounting for 85.5 percent of total external debt.
BI emphasized that it will continue to strengthen coordination with the government in monitoring external debt developments, ensuring that external debt supports development financing and sustainable economic growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability. ■