JAKARTA (Kashmir English): Indonesia is currently weighing a possible deal to buy China’s J-10 fighter jets, mainly because of their lower cost and advanced features. At the same time, the country is still considering final steps toward a deal for American-made F-15EX aircraft, according to a senior official.
Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto, a retired Air Marshal, said that Indonesia has been in talks with China, which has offered not only fighter jets but also warships, arms, and frigates.
“We have had talks with China and they offered us a lot, not just J-10, but also ships, arms, frigates,” he said. “We’re evaluating J-10,” he added, explaining that the government is looking into compatibility with its current systems, as well as after-sales support and costs.
Taufanto confirmed that Indonesia has been thinking about the J-10 deal for over a year, even before the latest flare-up between India and Pakistan.
However, reports that a Pakistani J-10 shot down several Indian jets last month could influence Jakarta’s decision.
On the other hand, Indonesia is also considering whether to go forward with its planned purchase of F-15EX fighters from the United States.
The defence ministry reached a deal with Boeing in 2023, but Taufanto suggested the $8 billion price tag for 24 jets is still under review. He acknowledged that the F-15’s capabilities are “well recorded,” but noted that cost remains a key issue.
In 2022, Indonesia agreed to buy 42 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth $8.1 billion. The first six are expected to be delivered next year.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, where they signed an initial defence pact that may lead to further sales of French defence equipment, including more Rafales.
“We’re considering (France’s) offer. We’re considering our own budget, we’re evaluating, especially given we have other options like J-10, F-15,” Taufanto said.
Meanwhile, a recent article in The National Interest, an American magazine, pointed to growing friction between India and France over the Rafale’s performance during the India-Pakistan conflict.
The report, titled “India and France Are At Each Other’s Throats Over the Dassault Rafale Fighter,” claims India is not satisfied with how the jets performed in combat.
France, however, has dismissed these complaints, suggesting that any issues were more likely due to pilot errors or maintenance problems rather than flaws in the aircraft itself.
