Paris. President Prabowo Subianto visited France on Wednesday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across sectors ranging from defense to energy.

The state visit comes after Indonesia finalized agreements to purchase dozens of Dassault Rafale fighter jets and two Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, with initial deliveries already underway.

The trip also serves as a reciprocal visit following Macron’s state visit to Indonesia last year. Since Prabowo took office in October 2024, the two leaders have met three times, most recently on April 14.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said the summit would culminate in the announcement of an upgraded bilateral relationship under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.

“The elevation of this relationship reflects the growing importance of Indonesia and France to one another amid global uncertainty,” the ministry said in an official statement.

During the bilateral meeting, the two countries are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in what Indonesia described as “super strategic” sectors, including defense and security, energy, technology investment, and scientific and research collaboration.

The two governments also view each other as strategic connectors between regions, with Indonesia positioned as a key European partner in Asia and France serving as a gateway linking Southeast Asia to Europe.

Indonesia and France established diplomatic relations in 1950 and formally elevated ties to a strategic partnership in 2011. In recent years, bilateral relations have deepened significantly, particularly following Indonesia’s efforts to modernize its air force and expand cooperation in submarine development.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the planned upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026 is also linked to Indonesia’s broader efforts to secure advanced technologies needed for its downstream critical minerals industrialization program.

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