The Indonesian naval chief of staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that the new maritime security project will tackle various challenges, such as piracy, terrorism, and other criminal activities.
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Top diplomats from France and Indonesia have agreed on a new maritime security project aimed at ensuring peace and safety at sea in the Indo-Pacific region.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot’s visit to Jakarta, his second stop on a four-day Asia tour, comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the European Union and Beijing.
He told reporters on Wednesday that the Indo-Pacific Port Security Project “is close to my heart,” promising France’s support.
Neither he nor his Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono, provided further details on what exactly the project will entail.
Earlier this month, during a discussion about the project at the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence, Indonesia’s naval chief of staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that it would address various maritime security challenges, including piracy, terrorism, and other illicit activities, and would likely involve collaboration between several countries in the Indo-Pacific.
Sugiono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name, stated that “maritime collaboration is crucial to realizing a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific”.
Barrot stated that the project will support Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation with over 17,000 islands, with a focus on the sustainability and security of two Indonesian ports in Jakarta and Surabaya.
The two diplomats, who signed the project’s agreement at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) headquarters in the Indonesian capital, stated that they also discussed strengthening their strategic partnerships and enhancing general cooperation.
Military cooperation between France and Indonesia has grown in recent years.
French air force planes made a stopover in Jakarta in July as part of a visit to Southeast Asia that was meant to display France’s commitment to regional security.
Last year, Indonesia purchased 42 Dassault Rafale fighter jets and is expected to receive the first Rafale jets under the contract in 2026.
It also announced the purchase of two French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales Ground Control Interception radars.
Five of the radar systems are expected to be installed in the country’s future capital, Nusantara, on Borneo island.
Barrot’s visit is also expected to help lay the groundwork for a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to visit the country in May.
Barrot is in Indonesia after a visit to Singapore and will be in the Chinese city of Shanghai on Thursday and Friday.
