Indonesia, France agree to boost defence industry ties
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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (right) met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on April 14.
PHOTO: AFP
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JAKARTA – Indonesia, fresh from concluding a defence pact with the US and an oil deal with Russia, has also agreed to boost defence industry cooperation with France, Jakarta said on April 15 after the countries’ presidents met in Paris.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was hosted by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on April 14, where they “discussed strengthening strategic cooperation”, a statement from the Indonesian government said.
“This includes the procurement of defence equipment and the strengthening of the defence industry,” it added, citing France as a strategic partner for Indonesia in Europe.
The leaders also agreed on cooperation in “energy transition and the development of new and renewable energy”.
Mr Prabowo had met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on April 13, flying directly from Moscow to Paris.
With Mr Putin, he had discussed “strengthening their strategic partnership, particularly in the sectors of energy, mineral resources, and national industrial development”, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
The Indonesian leader, who recently travelled to South Korea and Japan, has justified his slew of foreign visits.
“Brothers and sisters, it’s to secure oil, I have to go everywhere,” Mr Prabowo said in an address to his cabinet earlier in April.
Like many nations, Indonesia has come under pressure from soaring global oil prices over the war in the Middle East.
Jakarta, while defending a non-aligned diplomatic posture, in 2025 joined the BRICS bloc of emerging economies that includes Russia and China.
Mr Prabowo has also signed a trade deal with US President Donald Trump and joined his so-called Board of Peace, although he has insisted his country would not pay the US$1 billion (S$1.27 billion) joining fee for permanent membership.
Indonesia is a major buyer of French arms, with then Defence Minister Prabowo inking a $8.1 billion deal in 2022 to purchase 42 French-made Rafale jets.
Mr Prabowo, a former military general who was elected president in 2024, has sought to modernise Indonesia’s ageing military assets.
On April 13, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth hosted his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and announced a “Major Defence Cooperation Partnership”.
A joint statement underlined the countries’ “shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific”.
Indonesia is strategically located along the Malacca Strait – the world’s busiest choke point for oil and petroleum liquids, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
The vast majority of China-bound oil travels through the Malacca Strait.
Jakarta on April 14 said it was still considering a US request for “overflight clearance” which, if approved, analysts say could be seen as an alignment with Washington over Beijing. AFP
