‘Prerequisite for stability’: Indonesia boosts defences with new fighter jets

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (left) looks inside the cockpit of a Rafale jet fighter during a ceremony to hand over six new Rafale jet fighters, four Dassault Falcon 8X aircrafts and one Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on May 18, 2026. — AFP pic

JAKARTA, May 18 — Indonesia will continue boosting its defence capabilities, President Prabowo Subianto said today, citing uncertain times as he presented new military hardware, including six French-made Rafale jets, to the air force.

The Southeast Asian nation, which pursues a policy of diplomatic non-alignment, must “continue to improve our defence capabilities to serve as a deterrent”, Prabowo told reporters at a ceremony at a military air base in Jakarta.

He said Indonesia does “not have any interests other than protecting our own territory”.

“We observe that the global geopolitical landscape is fraught with uncertainty, and we recognise that defence is a primary prerequisite for stability,” he added.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (centre) walks with high-ranking officials while inspecting six new Rafale jet fighters, six Dassault Falcon 8X aircrafts and two Airbus A400M Atlas transport planes being handed over to the Indonesian Air Force during a ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on May 18, 2026. — AFP pic

Prabowo inspected defence equipment recently procured for the Indonesian military, including four Dassault Falcon 8X jets and an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft, according to a presidential palace statement.

Jakarta signed an US$8.1 billion (about RM23.02 billion) deal in 2022 under then-defence minister Prabowo to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighters. Six of the jets have been delivered so far — three in January and another three today, defence ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait told AFP.

“The government views the strengthening of defence equipment not merely as the procurement of combat platforms, but as a strategic investment aimed at safeguarding sovereignty, national honour and national defence readiness,” Rico said.

Prabowo, a former military general who came to power in 2024, has sought to modernise Indonesia’s ageing military assets.

The logo of the Indonesian Air Force’s (TNI AU) Air Squadron 3 (The Dragon) is seen on the tail of a Rafale jet fighter during a ceremony to hand over six new Rafale jet fighters, six Dassault Falcon 8X aircrafts and two Airbus A400M Atlas transport planes to the Indonesian Air Force at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on May 18, 2026. — AFP pic

He met French President Emmanuel Macron last month in Paris, where the leaders discussed bolstering strategic cooperation, including through the “procurement of defence equipment and the strengthening of the defence industry”, according to an Indonesian government statement.

A security analyst told AFP today that Indonesia was unlikely to withdraw from the Rafale procurement contract despite rising budget pressures in economically uncertain times.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy is a net oil importer and is facing pressures from rising crude prices due to the Middle East war, even as the government insists on leaving subsidised fuel prices unchanged.

“A further question is whether the government’s emergency savings will be used in this procurement process,” said Christian Guntur Lebang, a researcher with the LAB 45 think tank.

“Given the current state of the country’s finances, which are in disarray, it would certainly be unwise.” — AFP