Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and French President Emmanuel Macron are ready to sign a letter of intent aimed at further strengthening the defence partnership between the two countries. The document will be signed on the sidelines of bilateral talks in the Indonesian capital, Indonesian Defence Minister Shafri Sjamsoeddin said.
The cooperation is expected to cover areas such as the supply of strategic defence equipment. It is a continuation of the extensive military-technical co-operation already underway: in recent years, Indonesia has signed a number of contracts worth billions of dollars with French companies. These include the purchase from Dassault Aviation SA of two Scorpène-class submarines and 42 Rafale warplanes for $8.1bn.
Macron’s visit is among the first official Western leaders’ visits since Prabowo took office in October 2024. It is seen as a crucial movetowards reinforcing regional blocs and redoubling French strategic interest in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, is at the heart of Paris’ and, by proxy, that of the European Union’s efforts to gain a balance in a region of intense US-China geopolitical rivalry.
Although no new important deals have been made so far, both parties stress that Macron’s visit can be the basis for expanding defence and economic cooperation. In particular, the meeting gives Prabowo an opportunity to enlist France’s support for a key domestic task – the modernisation of the country’s armed forces.
