Indonesia boosts defence with new Rafale fighter jets

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended a hand‑over ceremony at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma air base on 18 May, where six French‑made Rafale fighter jets were delivered to the armed forces. The aircraft are part of a broader $8.1 billion (10.4 billion Singapore dollars) contract signed in 2022 for 42 Rafale jets, along with other equipment.

During the event the president also inspected four Dassault Falcon 8X business jets and an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft that were recently acquired. Indonesia’s defence ministry said the latest deliveries, which include three additional Rafale jets beyond the three first received in January, underline the country’s commitment to strengthen its security capabilities amid an uncertain global geopolitical environment.