Indonesia to buy 42 fighter jets from China marking its first
non-Western aircraft purchase deal
[October 16, 2025] By
NINIEK KARMINI
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s top defense official said
Wednesday that Jakarta will acquire at least 42 Chinese-made Chengdu
J-10C fighter jets, marking the country's first non-Western aircraft
purchase deal.
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told reporters in the capital,
Jakarta, that Indonesia would soon buy fighter jets from China as part
of a plan to modernize its military. Analysts said the deal could touch
regional sensitivities and have geopolitical implications.
“They will be flying over Jakarta soon,” Sjamsoeddin said. He declined
to provide further details of the purchase.
The plan to buy the J-10s was first disclosed last month by defense
ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Frega Wenas. Local media had reported
that the Indonesian Air Force was still reviewing the Chinese-made
fighter jets to ensure their acquisition would effectively strengthen
Indonesia's air defense capabilities.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa on Wednesday confirmed that his
ministry had approved a budget for the purchase of the aircraft from
China that reached more than $9 billion.
“So, everything should be ready,” Sadewa told reporters, “But I have to
double check when those aircrafts will arrive in Jakarta from Beijing.”
Indonesia has embarked on a drive to upgrade and modernize its military
arsenal and strengthen its defense industry under President Prabowo
Subianto's administration. Subianto has crisscrossed the globe since he
was appointed defense minister in 2019, traveling to China, France,
Russia, Turkey and the U.S. in a bid to acquire new military weapon
systems and surveillance and territorial defense capabilities.
The Indonesian Air Force currently has fighter jets from countries
including the U.S., Russia and Britain. Some of these aircraft need to
be upgraded or replaced.
[to top of second column] |
Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin walks during a
welcoming ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad
Ibrahim, file)
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan announced in June that his country will export 48 of its
KAAN fighter jets to Indonesia. Those jets would be manufactured in
Turkey and exported to Indonesia, Erdogan said in an X post.
Indonesia finalized an order for 42 French Dassault Rafale fighter
jets in January 2024, with the first delivery expected in early
2026. Southeast Asia's largest economy also announced the purchase
of two French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales ground
control interception radars.
Beni Sukadis, a defense analyst from the Indonesia Institute for
Defense and Strategic Studies, said that despite being politically
non-aligned, the government shouldn't underestimate the geopolitical
implications of its choices.
After decades of relying on Western suppliers, a major arms purchase
from Beijing “could be read as a shift in Indonesia's security
orientation amid China’s growing military and diplomatic influence
in Southeast Asia region,” Sukadis said.
He warned the “move could spark regional sensitivities over the
South China Sea where China has direct interests.”
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
