Jakarta Approves USD 9 Billion for 42 J-10 Jets From China — Finance Minister Confirms

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

Indonesia’s Finance Minister confirms approval of USD 9 billion for the purchase of 42 Chengdu J-10 multirole fighters from China, while the Defence Minister says the jets will soon be “flying over Jakarta’s skies” — signaling a major realignment in Southeast Asia’s air-power and strategic landscape.

Indonesia has officially confirmed a USD 9 billion (RM 42.8 billion) deal to acquire 42 Chengdu J-10 multirole fighter jets from China, in what marks the nation’s most significant single defence procurement in history and a defining moment in its military modernization drive.

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced that the Ministry of Finance had approved the USD 9 billion allocation, affirming that “everything should be ready,” with only final delivery confirmation pending from Beijing.

Echoing this, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin declared that the Chinese-made fighters would soon be “flying over Jakarta’s skies,” underscoring the government’s readiness to operationalize the new fleet as part of Indonesia’s strategic effort to strengthen national air defence.

The confirmation, made on October 15, 2025, signals Indonesia’s decisive shift away from traditional Western and Russian aircraft suppliers, reflecting its growing confidence in diversifying military partnerships to reinforce sovereignty and regional deterrence.

With this acquisition, Indonesia will become the third operator of the J-10 after China and Pakistan, solidifying its position as a key regional partner in Beijing’s expanding defence export portfolio and marking a new era in Southeast Asia’s evolving air power landscape.

The procurement of the J-10 fighters is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s broader airpower modernization program, designed to replace ageing F-16A/B and Su-27SK aircraft that have served the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) for more than three decades.

The J-10 integration of an advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles, and WS-10B Taihang engine provides Indonesia with a highly capable 4.5-generation platform that bridges the gap between fourth and fifth-generation fighters.

Strategically, this move enhances Indonesia’s ability to assert airspace control over its archipelagic territory, especially around the resource-rich Natuna Islands—an area increasingly contested by Chinese and other regional air patrols.

Economically, the USD 9 billion deal deepens Indonesia’s defence-industrial ties with Beijing, with discussions reportedly including pilot training, maintenance cooperation, and technology transfers to support long-term sustainment through PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Most critically, the decision underscores Jakarta’s commitment to a multi-vector defence policy, balancing partnerships with China, France, Türkiye, and South Korea to ensure strategic flexibility while navigating the intensifying geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Beijing in the Indo-Pacific.