TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday met with French President Emmanuel Macron in a follow-up of a previous meeting on February 10, regarding the purchase of Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarine.

“The purchasing plan was agreed upon by the two countries on February 10,” the statement wrote on Wednesday, March 16.

The meeting took place at President Macron’s Élysée Palace. They also held bilateral talks regarding pressing issues, one of which was strengthening partnerships in defense between Indonesia and France.

In the previous meeting, Prabowo and the Minister of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, Florence Parly, held the purchase agreement in Jakarta. Indonesia, in the first phase, will purchase six Rafale jets out of a total contract of 42 fighter jets.

Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, a spokesman for the Minister of Defense at the time, explained that the contract would be effective once the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati green lights the down payment, which would take from three to six months, he said on February 11, 2022.

The first stage is the purchasing of six Rafale that will be used by the Indonesian Air Force and expect delivery at around 56 months.

Indonesia and France also agreed to a memorandum of understanding for the offset and transfer of technology agreement between Dassault and PT Dirgantara Indonesia, telecommunication between PT LEN and Thales Group, and lastly large-caliber ammunition production between PT Pindad and Nexter Munition.

Read: Minister Prabowo Meets with French President Emmanuel Macron

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