Indonesia considers Chinese J-10 fighter jets in bid to diversify defence suppliers

Indonesia is exploring the possibility of acquiring Chinese J-10 fighter jets, recently battle-tested in Pakistan’s conflict with India over Kashmir, as part of its broader effort to modernize its military and diversify arms suppliers, officials said.

Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto disclosed during a public discussion in Jakarta that the jets were offered to Indonesia during a visit by Indonesian Air Force officials to China. However, he emphasized that the assessment is still preliminary and no technical evaluation team has yet been sent to investigate the offer further, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“This is just an offer,” Taufanto said.

The J-10, developed by Avic Chengdu Aircraft Co Ltd., is a single-engine, multirole fighter jet that Pakistan inducted in 2022 amid rising tensions with India. Its deployment was seen as a counterbalance to India’s acquisition of French Rafale jets, a model Indonesia is separately procuring under a different deal.

Indonesia’s interest in the J-10 jets reflects a strategic effort to diversify its military suppliers. This comes as global military spending rises, driven by conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Under President Prabowo Subianto, a former general, Indonesia is pushing to upgrade its air and naval capabilities while maintaining a neutral diplomatic stance.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy has previously purchased Chinese munitions and air surveillance systems but has never bought fighter jets from Beijing. A potential acquisition of the J-10s would mark a significant deepening of military ties with China, Indonesia’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment.

Indonesia is also exploring other options, including South Korea’s KF-21 supersonic fighter jet and Türkiye’s planned KAAN fifth-generation jet. Bloomberg recently reported that Prabowo instructed defence officials to revisit plans to buy Boeing’s F-15EX jets.

Reflecting the country’s pragmatic and non-aligned defence strategy, Taufanto said Indonesia is open to sourcing military equipment from any country.

“If we find that the jet performs well, meets our criteria, and comes at a good price, why not?” he said. “We’re not bound by any alliance, so we can source weapons from any country, including China.”

By Vafa Guliyeva