Indonesia is making headlines across Southeast Asia—and the world—with its ambitious plan to purchase 42 Chinese Chengdu J-10C "Vigorous Dragon" multi-role fighter jets. This $9 billion deal, confirmed by Indonesian officials in October 2025, signals a dramatic shift in the region’s airpower balance and underscores Jakarta’s evolving approach to military modernization and foreign policy.
Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin left little doubt about the urgency and intent behind the acquisition. “They will be flying over Jakarta soon,” he told reporters, as cited by multiple outlets including The National Interest and Asia Times. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa echoed this momentum, stating that funding had been approved and “everything should be ready,” though delivery dates still hinge on final confirmation from Beijing. The J-10Cs, previously operated by China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force, are expected to arrive much sooner than other aircraft Indonesia has on order, such as the French-made Dassault Rafale jets or the Turkish TAI TF KAAN fighters, whose deliveries are delayed by production backlogs and development timelines.
What makes the J-10C such a catch for Indonesia? According to Asia Times and Defense News, these jets boast advanced features: Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, composite materials, and the WS-10B Taihang engines—all hallmarks of a 4.5-generation fighter, putting them on par with many Western models. The J-10C’s combat credentials were further burnished in the May 2025 skirmishes over Kashmir, where Pakistan reportedly used the jets against Indian Rafales, challenging the long-held notion that Chinese weapons lag behind their Western counterparts.
If completed, Indonesia would become the world’s second foreign operator of the J-10C after Pakistan, which acquired 25 of the jets in 2021 to counter India’s Rafales. The move marks Indonesia’s first major foray into non-Western fighter technology, reflecting both immediate operational needs and a broader strategy to diversify its defense portfolio.
This purchase is just the latest in a dizzying array of military hardware Jakarta is acquiring. In January 2024, Indonesia finalized a deal with France to buy 42 Rafale omnirole fighters, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026. It also inked agreements for two French Scorpene Evolved submarines—set to be built under license in Indonesia—and 13 Thales ground control radars, as reported by the Associated Press. Meanwhile, negotiations continue for Boeing’s F-15EX jets from the United States, and Indonesia remains a stakeholder in South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae program, despite ongoing payment and technology-sharing disputes. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in June 2025 that Indonesia may also become an early adopter of the TAI TF KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter, though that aircraft likely won’t enter service until 2029 at the earliest.
Why the shopping spree? Indonesia’s sprawling archipelago and its geostrategic location in the Indo-Pacific demand robust air and maritime defense. Its current fighter fleet is a patchwork of US F-16s, Russian Su-27s and Su-30s, South Korean FA-50s, and British Hawk 200s—each with its own logistical, training, and maintenance requirements. This diversity is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it gives Indonesia flexibility and reduces dependence on any single supplier, a key consideration given the possibility of sanctions or supply disruptions. On the other, it creates significant interoperability headaches. As Asia Times notes, different aircraft may not be able to communicate or share sensor data, complicating joint operations and driving up costs for support, training, and spare parts.
Indonesia’s ambitions extend to the seas as well. The country’s navy, while large in hull count with more than 245 vessels, is short on major assets—just four submarines, seven frigates, and 25 corvettes as of 2025, according to The National Interest. Jakarta is reportedly in talks to purchase the retired Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, which would significantly boost its ability to patrol and assert claims over its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea. Ironically, Indonesia’s main maritime disputes are with China, whose ten-dash line claims overlap with Indonesia’s EEZ in the Natuna Islands. Chinese Coast Guard and fishing vessels have repeatedly entered these waters, prompting Jakarta to deploy warships and US-made F-16s in response. Yet, Indonesia is now poised to deepen its defense-industrial ties with Beijing through the J-10C deal.
Some observers see this as a risky balancing act. As Asia Times points out, arms sales are never just about hardware—they create supply chain dependencies, training relationships, and avenues for influence. China’s funding of Indonesia’s high-speed rail network is another example of how economic and security interests can become entwined, potentially giving Beijing leverage over Jakarta’s foreign policy decisions. This could have ripple effects within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where Indonesia’s position often shapes the bloc’s collective stance on the South China Sea. If Jakarta grows more dependent on Chinese military and economic support, ASEAN’s ability to present a united front against Beijing’s maritime assertiveness could be weakened.
Still, Indonesia’s leadership insists that its approach is rooted in strategic autonomy and non-alignment. The country’s “Perisai Trisula Nusantara” (Nusantara Shield Trident) doctrine emphasizes building an integrated deterrent across its archipelago while avoiding entanglement in the US-China rivalry. In practical terms, this means buying from everyone—France, the US, Turkey, South Korea, and now China—to maintain both flexibility and leverage. As Defense News explains, Indonesia is unlikely to allow Australian or US aircraft to use its airspace for transit or refueling in a Taiwan contingency, reflecting its desire to stay out of great power conflicts even as it hedges its bets with diverse hardware.
Yet, this balancing act is becoming harder to maintain. Sanctions on Russia and Moscow’s wartime priorities have scuttled Indonesia’s plans to buy more Su-35s. The high cost of US-made F-15EX jets may put them out of reach. Payment disputes and information security concerns have clouded Indonesia’s participation in South Korea’s KF-21 project, and while France is moving ahead with Rafale deliveries, the jet’s reputation took a hit after a recent loss to a J-10C in South Asia. Each of these developments nudges Jakarta further toward Beijing, even as it tries to keep its options open.
For now, Indonesia’s military modernization is a story of ambition, pragmatism, and no small amount of risk. The arrival of Chinese J-10Cs over Jakarta’s skies will not only reshape the country’s air force but could also tip the delicate balance of power in Southeast Asia—forcing neighbors, rivals, and allies alike to recalibrate their own strategies in response. In the end, Indonesia’s quest for strategic autonomy may test the limits of non-alignment in an increasingly polarized world.