Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi paid a courtesy visit to French President Emmanuel Macron, at the Elysee Palace on Friday, 21 July 2023. During the meeting Defense Minister Prabowo and President Macron discussed Indonesia’s readiness to strengthen its strategic partnership with France.
Apart from that, the defense cooperation between the two countries was also discussed which was not only about buying and selling defense equipment, but also transferring technology, joint development and production, to security issues.
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Defense Minister Prabowo revealed, “I would like to underline one of the principles of Indonesia’s 2020-2024 defense policy, which is to develop and enhance international cooperation in the defense sector, including working with South Pacific countries.”
Previously, Defense Minister Prabowo and Foreign Minister Retno attended the 2+2 meeting with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
In 2022, Prabowo met with Macron by invitation at the Elysee Palace in mid-March last year with the aim of discussing the purchase of Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines from Dassault Aviation, France.
The two also met again at the Bali G20 Summit, Indonesia, in mid-November 2022. During the event, Indonesia and France also held bilateral meetings, one of which discussed defense and aerospace cooperation.
Under the administration of President Joko Widodo, said Prabowo, cooperation in the field of defense between Indonesia and France was the best in decades, especially in the technology transfer program and the acquisition of defense equipment.
Cooperation is expected not only to be limited to the purchase of the main equipment for weapons systems, but also joint production, technology transfer and manufacturing investment. Strengthening cooperation is based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit.
Source: kemhan.go.id, kompas.id
