JAKARTA - Ambassador Fabien Penone confirmed that French and Indonesian defense cooperation is proceeding according to plan, especially the procurement of Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
"We are developing cooperation and continue to encourage industry collaboration with the Indonesian government," Penone said on Tuesday, responding to questions about the progress of the Rafale assembly and delivery scheduled to arrive this year.
Met at the French Embassy, Jakarta, Penone said the defense and security sector was an important foundation for bilateral relations, when receiving a visit from the management of Persib Bandung.
He added that the two countries are committed to making the strengthening of intergovernmental cooperation a common priority in various mutually beneficial strategic areas.
"Our cooperation is going well," Penone said briefly, stressing the stability of bilateral relations that continue to develop amid the dynamics of the region.
However, he expressed a desire to expand cooperation beyond defense and security, including social-cultural sectors such as education, art, and sports which are considered to have great potential.
According to him, social-cultural collaboration has taken place through strategic dialogues between ministers of culture, academic mobility programs for universities, and the training of athletes between the two countries.
Indonesia is one of the main customers of Dassault Aviation's Rafale fighter jets, with the Ministry of Defense ordering a total of 42 units to strengthen the national air fleet.
In January, Brigadier General TNI Rico Sirait said the second wave of Rafale arrivals for the Indonesian Air Force was scheduled to take place in mid-2026.
Rico has not confirmed the number of units in the second phase of delivery, as the procurement process and operational readiness are still ongoing.
Currently, three units of the first wave of Rafale have been stationed at the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base, Pekanbaru, Riau, since they were flown from France by the TNI AU pilots in mid-January 2026.
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