Legal regime of subsoil use in Indonesia

Abstract

The object of this research is the mining relations in the Sunda Islands of the Malay Archipelago. Analysis is conducted on the normative legal regulation of subsoil use in the Republic of Indonesia, the regime of which is uniform for subsoil zones located on island and offshore territories within Indonesian jurisdiction, but is differentiated depending on the type of mineral resources. The author meticulously examines the state mechanism of management of mining industry, placing emphasis on the role of the municipal authorities. The article examines the content of Indonesian mining and environmental laws that are the main subject of research, governmental acts, and doctrinal sources. The material contains the information on the licensing of subsoil use in Indonesia, including the recent changes therein requirements introduced in 2021. The relevance of this research lies in consideration of the existing legal problems pertaining to subsoil use in Indonesia, representations on the modern system and structure of state administration in this sphere, need of the Russian miners involved in construction of nickel clusters in the Republic of Indonesia, legal support of their business, need for the promotion of Russia’s interests in Southeast Asia. The scientific novelty consists in provision of the fundamentally new information on the subject matter, namely with regards to the licensing of subsoil use and foreign investment, as well as in formulation of conclusions, including on the basis of previously known data. The author indicates the possibility of using the Indonesian interpretation of the “residual principle” for the normative legal regulation of the Russian subsoil use.