On May 28, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Indonesia and held a joint press conference with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, highlighting the close defense cooperation between the two nations. Despite doubts raised about the performance of the Rafale jets after Indian forces lost one to Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10 aircraft during the Kashmir conflict, Macron expressed confidence that Indonesia will proceed with its Rafale procurement.

Macron stated that a letter of intent had been signed to expand orders for Rafale fighters, Scorpene-class submarines, and light frigates, opening new prospects for future contracts. Widodo noted that France is a key partner for Indonesia in modernizing its military, joint production, and technology transfer.

This visit is part of Macron's Southeast Asian tour, with plans to fly to Singapore next. The stock price of France's Dassault Aviation rose 3.4% in reaction to the news. Indonesia is expected to receive its first batch of Rafale jets in 2026. In addition to military collaboration, both nations also signed agreements exceeding $11 billion in total value.