French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday evening, marking the second leg of a Southeast Asian tour focused on bolstering strategic partnerships amid global instability, according to AP News.
During a ceremony at Merdeka Palace on Wednesday, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto welcomed Macron, who hailed their bond by describing Prabowo as “a brother and a great friend of mine.”
The summit yielded over a dozen agreements, headlined by a letter of intent for Indonesia to expand its procurement of French strategic weapons systems, including Rafale fighter jets, Scorpène submarines, and light frigates. Macron emphasised that the partnership would enable “new orders for Rafales, Scorpènes, and light frigates, along with consolidated joint exercises.”
This builds on Indonesia’s existing commitments: a January 2024 order for 42 Dassault Rafale jets, with first deliveries due in early 2026 and acquisition of two Scorpène Evolved submarines and 13 Thales radar systems, five of which will safeguard Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara.
Prabowo underscored France’s role as a key partner in “modernising defence equipment through joint production and technology transfer.” The push aligns with Indonesia’s efforts to replace ageing US, Russian, and British aircraft and strengthen its domestic defence industry.
Beyond defence, the leaders signed accords covering trade, critical minerals, energy, and forestry. They also addressed global conflicts, including Ukraine and Gaza, though specifics were not disclosed.
Macron’s itinerary included a meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn to discuss regional stability. He also delivered a speech at Jakarta State University before departing for cultural engagements in Central Java.
On Thursday, Macron will visit the 9th-century Borobudur Temple and the Magelang Military Academy (Akmil). At Akmil, he will review a French-language laboratory critical for training Indonesian personnel deployed to France. The tour concludes in Singapore, where Macron will address the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence forum.
