Third Paris Visit: Rafale, CEPA, and Palestine
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening a partnership built on mutual trust and support for multilateralism—a significant phrase in an era where the global order faces challenges from multiple directions.
President Prabowo Subianto has visited Paris three times in the first five months of 2026—January, April, and May—a rarity for a president to visit a single country so frequently in one year.
Prabowo himself acknowledged this in front of President Macron, stating, ‘This year alone, I’ve been to France three times.’
While the remark may sound like diplomatic courtesy, the real reason Paris has become the epicentre of Indonesia’s diplomacy lies in the substantive outcomes of these visits.
Indonesia-France defence ties began long before Prabowo became president, during his tenure as defence minister. A key milestone occurred in February 2022 when he met with French Defence Minister Florence Parly, agreeing on five defence collaborations, including the purchase of Rafale fighter jets.
The written commitments have now materialised. Of the 42 Dassault Rafale jets ordered, Indonesia received the first three in January 2026, with further deliveries scheduled for mid-year. These units are now stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base in Pekanbaru, marking the initial phase of the Indonesian Air Force’s four-year modernisation process.
However, fighter jets are not the sole focus. PT PAL Indonesia and France’s Naval Group have formed a joint venture to build Scorpène Evolved submarines, equipped with advanced propulsion and weaponry. The collaboration aims not only to bolster military hardware but also to facilitate knowledge transfer for enhancing national maritime industry self-reliance, with the first submarine construction slated to begin in June 2026.
With two major strategic programmes underway simultaneously, repeated Paris visits hold substance far beyond ceremonial aspects. High-level technical and strategic issues require direct presidential oversight, as reflected in Prabowo’s official statements in Paris reiterating defence cooperation commitments with France.
During talks at the Élysée Palace, both nations agreed to strengthen defence industries through capacity building, co-production, and weapons technology collaboration. This move enables Indonesia to develop a more self-reliant defence industrial ecosystem, with France as the primary technology transfer partner.