Opinion | What Indonesia’s purchase of Chinese J-10 jets means for Asian defence
The fighter jet deal is an endorsement of Chinese technology and a sign the region’s defence future will no longer be monopolised by the West
The deal, worth roughly US$9 billion, follows Indonesia’s earlier contracts with France for the Rafale and with Turkey for the KAAN stealth fighter. This pattern reflects a deliberate diversification strategy aimed at technological sovereignty. Prabowo’s message is clear: Indonesia’s modernisation will not depend on any single bloc.
For decades, Indonesia’s air force has relied on a mix of American F-16s, British Hawks and Russian Sukhois. The J-10 purchase is both a practical and political move: it strengthens Indonesia’s defence autonomy while acknowledging the growing sophistication of Chinese defence technology.
Its battlefield credibility was demonstrated during Pakistan’s confrontation with India, where the J-10C’s performance reportedly deterred further Indian incursions and restored regional air parity. That episode resonated in Southeast Asia as evidence of China’s emergence as a genuine defence innovator.
Indonesia’s move, therefore, is less an ideological tilt towards Beijing than an acknowledgement of China’s technological rise. The J-10C deal signals that Jakarta views Chinese defence systems not merely as cheaper alternatives but as credible assets. It also reflects Prabowo’s pragmatic world view: flexibility, not alignment, is Indonesia’s strategic strength.
