France and Indonesia agreed to enhance defense cooperation, technology transfer

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News July 25, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Foreign ministers and defense chiefs from France and Indonesia met in a 2+2 format meeting in Paris. During the meeting, the French and Indonesian governments agreed on strengthening cooperation in various fields including defense, security, and technology transfer.

Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi and Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto met with French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and Minister of the French Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu in a 2+2 meeting in Paris on July 21, 2023. The two ministers explored ways to intensify military cooperation, especially in the fields of education, soldier exchanges, and joint training.

A statement released by the Indonesia Defense Ministry’s Head of Public Relations, Brigadier General Edwin Adrian Sumantha, said that “the 2+2 meeting went very well. Our relationship with France, especially in the defense field, is the best in decades.” He added that “We are very satisfied with this meeting. We see very good strategic cooperation in the future.”

“This (cooperation) is important to build Indonesia’s strategic autonomy,” Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said in a video statement following the meeting. She emphasized the need for cooperation to make Indonesia part of the global supply chain for strategic industries. “For this reason, I encourage the implementation of joint ventures and joint production cooperation between Thales and PT Len Industri,” Marsudi said.

Thales Group is a French multinational company that specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of defense and aerospace products. PT Len Industri, on the other hand, is an Indonesian state-owned enterprise that develops electronic parts for defense products.

*^{Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi with French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna. (Image Credit: RFI)}*

In a separate statement, French Embassy in Indonesia stated that the 2+2 meeting in Paris showed that the two countries have the same interests and aspirations. The statement said that the French government views the meeting as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in various fields. The two countries formed a strategic partnership in 2011 and developed a joint action plan in 2022 that focuses on bilateral cooperation in various fields until 2027.

The statement outlined that several issues were discussed during the 2+2 meeting. Apart from cooperation in defense, technology, and industry, representatives from the two countries also discussed legal frameworks to strengthen partnerships and cooperation programs as well as to expand cooperation in the maritime sector, disaster management, and cybersecurity.

The ministers also spoke about bilateral cooperation in matters related to Indo-Pacific security, particularly within the ASEAN region. They spoke about the rise in international tensions in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as well as China’s increasing military might in the region. Indonesia holds the ASEAN presidency this year.

^{Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, France on July 21, 2023. (Image Credit: Indonesia Defense Ministry)}

The Indonesian ministers also held a meeting with France’s President Emmanuel Macron and discussed strengthening the strategic partnership and economic cooperation between Indonesia and France. According to Retno Marsudi, the bilateral partnership “must be based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit” and “make a positive contribution to creating a more stable, secure and peaceful world.”