Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron recently discussed military procurement, though there is little to no detail on whether Jakarta had agreed to additional Rafale jet purchases as of writing.

Macron hosted Prabowo on his third visit to France on Tuesday afternoon local time.

The Indonesian leader revealed how the talk unfolded on his official presidential Instagram account, saying that they had discussed “various sectors”.

“... such as military procurement and strengthening the defense industry. Other topics include energy transition, renewables, infrastructure and transportation, education, and creative economy,” the post reads.

Indonesia described France as an “important partner in Europe” as Jakarta seeks a more concrete and mutually beneficial partnership. 

In every Prabowo’s interaction with Macron, expectations for extra Rafale orders usually rise. Indonesia has placed an $8.1 billion order for 42 units of the Rafale fighter jets; the first three planes arrived in the Southeast Asian country earlier this year, and the next batch is slated for mid-2026.

A Jakarta visit by Macron in May 2025 saw both nations seal a preliminary defense pact. In a joint press conference, Macron was confident that this letter of intent “could open up a new perspective with new orders for Rafales, Scorpènes, and light frigates.”

Beyond upgrading airpower, Indonesian shipbuilder PAL has partnered with France’s Naval Group to supply two Scorpène submarines.

The French plane developer Dassault Aviation clinched the 42-Rafale-unit contract in 2022, when Prabowo was the defense minister. The contract encompasses aircrew training, logistical support for several Indonesian air bases, and a training center with two full-mission simulators.

The Jakarta Globe has reached out to the Defense Ministry for comments if Indonesia has decided to buy more Rafale units following the Prabowo-Macron talks. The French government has yet to publish a statement on the meeting.

Military upgrades have been in full swing since Prabowo's ministerial tenure and more so during his presidency. The archipelagic country caps its annual defense budget at a whopping Rp 337 trillion (approximately $19.7 billion) for 2026.