France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) welcomes Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto in Paris, April 14, 2026. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
Indonesia, fresh off concluding a defense pact with Washington and an oil deal with Russia, has also agreed to boost defense industry cooperation with France, Jakarta said Wednesday, April 15, after the countries' presidents met in Paris. President Prabowo Subianto was hosted by counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace Tuesday, where they "discussed strengthening strategic cooperation," a statement from the government said.
"This includes the procurement of defense equipment and the strengthening of the defense industry," it said, citing France as a strategic partner for Indonesia in Europe. The leaders also agreed on cooperation in "energy transition and the development of new and renewable energy."
Prabowo met Putin at the Kremlin on Monday, flying directly from the Russian capital to Paris. With Putin, he had discussed "strengthening their strategic partnership, particularly in the sectors of energy, mineral resources, and national industrial development," according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Prabowo, who recently travelled to South Korea and Japan, has justified his slew of foreign visits. "Brothers and sisters, it's to secure oil, I have to go everywhere," he said in an address to his cabinet this month. Like many nations, Indonesia has come under pressure from soaring global oil prices over the war in the Middle East.
