Jakarta, Feb. 5 -- Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has highlighted that the manufacturing sector has remained the backbone of the national economy and the largest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP).

"To this end, strategic policies that can encourage improvement in efficiency, productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability of the manufacturing sector are needed," he said here on Wednesday.

In 2024, the manufacturing industry recorded a positive performance, as reflected by the export value of the non-oil and gas processing industry, among other things. The export value reached US$196.54 billion, making up 74.25 percent of the total national exports.

In addition, the value of manufacturing industry exports l...