The IGA was founded in 1980, primarily to serve as a forum for its members to discuss matters of mutual interest related to natural gas ranging from exploration to end-user, including marketing, development, production, transportation, distribution and processing, The initial focus was on LNG, and the IGA has played, and continues to play, a strong role in the International Gas Union (IGU) through active participation in World Gas Conferences and international events dealing with LNG.

The IGA, with others, hosted the 1993 IGU Council Meeting and co-sponsored Indonesia's membership of the Permanent Council of the World Petroleum Congress. The IGA also supported the establishment of the Western Pacific Gas Information Exchange (GASEX) in 1990 and hosted the 1994 biannual conference in Bali.

In the mid 1990's the IGA began to increase its focus on the domestic gas industry. Energy demand was rising and was being met by the increasing use of more expensive liquid fuels. In response to this situation and to enhance the attractiveness of gas it held the first of a series of Domestic Gas Workshops in 1997 which have brought together all stakeholders in the natural gas chain. Output from the workshops has been considered by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in formulation of national policy on domestic gas regulation. IGA also participated in 2002 Gas Exhibition in Brunei Darussalam, 2004 in Singapore, 2006 in Beijing, China, 2008 in Vietnam and 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 Indonesian International Oil, Gas and Energy Conference and Exhibiton (IIOGE) in Jakarta.

Further to elaborate it self, in the year of 2006, IGA joined the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce of Industry as the Extra-Ordinary Members. And in year of 2008, IGA had been trusted as the Coal Bed Methane (CBM) committee and it was inaugurated in the mid June of 2009, by H.E. Ministry of Mines and Energy in Grand Hyatt Hotel, Jakarta.