Media Report: Indonesian President to Paris on 14 April 2026

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PARIS – Media Intelligence Online reports that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is expected to arrive in Paris on 14 April. News of the potential visit has heightened hopes at Dassault Aviation, which is still working to have Jakarta sign a contract for the procurement of 18 new Rafale fighter jets.

In an exclusive article titled “Indonesian President’s Potential Paris Trip Raises Hopes at Dassault”, it is discussed that the visit by Indonesia’s top official is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting. Prabowo’s arrival could bring fresh wind and great hope for the French aerospace giant, Dassault Aviation.

Previously, the same media published an article about the Deputy Air and Space Defence Attaché scheduled to join the French defence mission in Indonesia this summer. This step is a sign of the pressure exerted by the French Ministry of Defence (Kemenhan) and Dassault Aviation to finalise the sale of 18 Rafale fighter jets to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU).

The Indonesian Ministry of Defence (Kemenhan RI) has currently finalised the contract for the purchase of 42 Rafale jets. However, there is an option to add 18 units of these generation 4.5 fighter jets to strengthen Indonesia’s air fleet. This is what has Paris urging Jakarta to complete the purchase.