Macron meets 'great friend' Subianto in Indonesia to discuss defence and trade

France's President Emmanuel Macron has met pinch his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto arsenic he continues his week-long travel to Southeast Asia focused connected strengthening location ties successful an progressively unstable world landscape.

Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrived successful Jakarta connected Tuesday evening for nan 2nd extremity successful his tour after Vietnam, wherever Macron signed a woody to waste Hanoi 20 Airbus planes.

On arrival, Macron had lukewarm words for Indonesia’s leader, describing him arsenic a relative and "a awesome friend of mine."

Military practice betwixt Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, and France has grown successful caller years, starting successful 2019 erstwhile Subianto became defence minister.

He and Macron met past November connected nan sidelines of nan G20 acme successful Brazil, wherever they discussed Indonesia’s plans to bargain combatant jets and submarines from France.

Indonesia finalised an bid for 42 French Dassault Rafele combatant jets successful January 2024, pinch nan first transportation expected successful early 2026.

The Asian federation besides announced nan acquisition of 2 French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales crushed power interception radars.

Five of nan radar systems are expected to beryllium installed successful Indonesia's caller capital, Nusantara.

Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told reporters aft welcoming Macron that nan sojourn is aimed astatine strengthening "defence practice betwixt Indonesia and France."

On Wednesday, Subianto hosted nan Macrons successful a ceremonial astatine Merdeka Palace successful Jakarta earlier nan 2 leaders went successful for a bilateral meeting.

Afterward, nan 2 presidents oversaw nan signing of much than a twelve agreements, including a missive of intent for Indonesia to acquisition of strategical weapons systems, particularly combatant planes and submarines.

The developments "can unfastened a caller position pinch caller orders for Rafales, Scorpènes, and ray frigates, on pinch consolidated associated exercises," Macron said astatine a associated news conference.

Subianto said that France is 1 of Indonesia's main partners "in nan modernisation of defence equipment, including successful nan improvement of nan defence manufacture done associated accumulation and exertion transfer."

The 2 besides discussed world issues, peculiarly nan wars successful Ukraine and nan Middle East.

Indonesia is seeking to upgrade and modernise its arsenal and fortify its home defence industry. 

Subianto crisscrossed nan globe aft becoming defence minister, walking to China, France, Russia, Turkey and nan United States successful a bid to get caller subject limb systems arsenic good arsenic surveillance and territorial defence capabilities.

The Indonesian Air Force presently operates a operation of combatant jets made successful various countries, including nan United States, Russia and nan UK.

Some of those craft person reached aliases will soon scope their end-of-life shape and request to beryllium replaced aliases upgraded.

The 2 countries besides signed agreements connected trade, investment, energy, captious minerals and forestry.

Macron was besides to meet pinch ASEAN's Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and speak astatine Jakarta State University.

On Thursday, Macron and his woman are to sojourn Borobudur, a 9th period Buddhist temple successful nan centre of Java and a subject academy earlier heading to Singapore, wherever nan French leader will speak astatine Asia’s apical defence conference, nan yearly Shangri-La Dialogue.