【By Observer News, Yuan Jiaqi】

According to a report on the 15th by Indonesia's national news agency Antara, Indonesian Defense Minister Saffri confirmed that the country has decided to purchase China's J-10 fighter jets. The Indonesian Ministry of Finance revealed that it has approved a defense budget of "at least $9 billion."

Earlier reports mentioned that Indonesia planned to purchase 42 J-10 fighter jets. Saffri said during an event in Jakarta on the same day, "They (J-10) will soon be flying over Jakarta." However, he refused to disclose more details about the procurement schedule and the expected delivery time of the aircraft.

According to a report by the U.S. media outlet The Washington Post, later that day, Indonesia's newly appointed Minister of Finance Purbaya also confirmed that the department had approved the budget for purchasing these fighter jets from China.

According to a report by The Jakarta Globe, when asked about the J-10 transaction, Purbaya stated that the Indonesian Ministry of Finance had approved the defense budget for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

"I believe they (the Ministry of Defense) have a considerable amount of available funds. At least $9 billion, I can't remember the exact number," Purbaya added, "I still need to confirm whether Saffri wants to import this fighter jet next year or later. But we have met his budget requirements."

When answering questions from The Washington Post, Purbaya said, "Everything should be ready."

Currently, the Indonesian Air Force's fighter jets mainly come from the United States, Russia, and other countries. As the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has been pushing for military modernization in recent years, having concluded contracts for new fighter jets with France, Turkey, and others, and co-developing new fighter jets with South Korea.

The U.S. media pointed out that although Indonesia previously purchased weapons and ammunition from China, it had never procured fighter jets. This procurement of the J-10 fighter jet is also Indonesia's first non-Western fighter jet transaction.

Foreign media analysis suggests that China is Indonesia's largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment. If the two countries reach this significant arms deal, it would mark a significant deepening of bilateral relations.

Beni Sukadis, a defense analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, said that Indonesia's large-scale weapons procurement from China could be interpreted as "a shift in security strategy as China's military and diplomatic influence in Southeast Asia continues to grow."

Pakistan Air Force J-10CE Fighter Jet Social Media

According to reports, under the leadership of President Prabowo, who comes from a military background, Indonesia has launched a process of upgrading and modernizing its military equipment and is striving to strengthen its defense industry. Since 2019, Prabowo has visited countries around the world, including China, France, Russia, Turkey, and the United States, aiming to acquire new military weapon systems and surveillance and territorial defense capabilities.

In May this year, European media first reported that Indonesia may abandon its deal with France's Rafale fighter jets and instead purchase 42 Chinese J-10 fighter jets.

In June, Deputy Minister of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense Taufan revealed that the government was conducting a feasibility assessment for purchasing J-10 fighter jets, focusing on whether this widely used Chinese air force aircraft meets operational requirements and can be integrated into Indonesia's existing combat system.

Taufan stated that the move aims to enhance the Indonesian Air Force's modern combat capabilities while considering the cost-effectiveness of the defense budget.

"If the aircraft proves to have superior performance, meet our standards, and is reasonably priced, what reason is there not to buy?" he added, "We are not bound by any alliance and can procure weapons from any country, including China."

Indonesian Army spokesperson Christomo Sianturi also talked about the performance of the J-10 fighter jet in the May India-Pakistan conflict. The Pakistan Air Force claimed that its equipped J-10C fighter jets used the PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles to shoot down multiple Indian aircraft. Multiple sources, including U.S. officials, also said that at least one of the downed aircraft was a French Rafale fighter jet.

"The maturity of U.S. weapons has been proven through participation in conflicts in various places. Although China has not participated in other international crises, the situation during the India-Pakistan conflict shows that China has mastered good advanced technology," Christomo Sianturi said, "Indonesia has a good relationship with China, and I think we should learn more experience from China."

Earlier, the Belgian defense news website "armyrecognition" analyzed that if Indonesia confirms the procurement of the J-10, it will become the only country to deploy both the Rafale and the J-10. Currently, the Indonesian Air Force has ordered 24 Rafale fighters, and if combined with the J-10, the total number of delta-winged fighters will exceed 60.

According to another report by Antara News Agency, on September 13 local time, Indonesian Air Force Chief Harjono announced that Indonesia expects to receive the first three French Rafale fighter jets between February and March 2026.

It is worth noting that the India-Pakistan conflict has sparked doubts within Indonesia about the government's purchase of 42 Rafale fighter jets for $8.1 billion. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post noticed that Indonesian social media users believe the Rafale's cost-effectiveness, combat capability, and strategic value are insufficient, and that Chinese aircraft are cheaper and reliable, urging the government to consider purchasing Chinese equipment.

Some foreign media analysts mentioned that the export price of the Rafale is between $200 million and $250 million, for example, India spent $8.8 billion to buy 36 Rafales in 2016, with a unit price exceeding $240 million. The procurement price for Indonesia is also close to $200 million.

Expert Rinaudo from the Verona Security Institute in Italy stated that Chinese weapons have long been labeled as "cheap but low quality," but their performance in the India-Pakistan conflict has changed this perception.

"The lesson from this conflict is that Chinese weapons are no worse than Western equipment. We should get rid of this long-standing prejudice," he said.

This article is exclusive to Observer News. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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