Commitment To Defense Equipment Independence, Prabowo Requires Overseas Suppliers To Collaborate With Local Industries

President Jokowi and Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto at Indo Defense 2022/PHOTO: Prabowo Subianto's Media Team

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto revealed that the Ministry of Defense continues to optimize the cooperation of the local defense industry with suppliers or suppliers of defense equipment from abroad.

Prabowo requires foreign suppliers if they want to enter Indonesia to cooperate with domestic industries to turn defense spending into defense investment.

This was conveyed by Prabowo on the sidelines of Indo Defense 2022 at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, November 2. Prabowo said suppliers from abroad are to provide technology that has not been mastered by Indonesia.

"For defense equipment of which the technology we have not fully mastered, such as those fighter jets, we have a contract with France, the Rafale. Then some sophisticated weapons. We have to be forced to look from outside," Prabowo said.

Prabowo said he also forced all these foreign suppliers to cooperate with local industries.

"We want to spur cooperation, so we force all suppliers from outside to cooperate with domestic industries," he said.

President Jokowi with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto at Indo Defense 2022/PHOTO: Prabowo Subianto's Media Team

Prabowo is optimistic that this effort can boost the development of the domestic defense industry.

"We will fix it, there has been a change in management. We are optimistic that we can improve its performance, we fix everything, to improve its performance. We are a big country and the production must also be large," Prabowo said.

President Joko Widodo who was present on the occasion conveyed that the development of the domestic defense industry, both BUMN and private, was developing very well.

This happens because the government has provided ample space for the private sector to participate in building the beauty of Indonesia

"I think this is a very good development and most importantly we can adopt as many new technologies as possible in the military defense sector. The most important thing is that," Jokowi said to Prabowo.