Indonesia will acquire 42 Chinese-built Chengdu J-10C fighter jets in a deal valued at over $9 billion, marking the country’s first major non-Western aircraft procurement, according to top defense officials in Jakarta.
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin confirmed the move on Wednesday, stating that the aircraft, produced by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, would soon be flying over Jakarta.
“They will be flying over Jakarta soon,” Sjamsoeddin told reporters. He declined to disclose further operational or delivery details.
The announcement signals a new departure for Indonesia, which until now has sourced combat aircraft exclusively from the United States, Russia, and Europe. The J-10C deal—Jakarta’s first with a Chinese defense manufacturer—has the potential to recalibrate Indonesia’s defense posture amid broader regional power dynamics.
The Indonesian Ministry of Finance approved the procurement budget earlier this year. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the final paperwork was complete and that the agreement is moving into its execution phase. “So, everything should be ready,” Sadewa said. “But I have to double check when those aircraft will arrive in Jakarta from Beijing.”
The decision to procure the J-10C was first made public last month by defense ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Frega Wenas. Local defense analysts noted that the Indonesian Air Force had been evaluating the aircraft for compatibility with its long-term modernization goals and airspace defense requirements.
Indonesia’s fleet currently includes a mix of U.S.-made F-16s, French Rafales, Russian Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft, and British Hawk jets. Many of these platforms are nearing obsolescence or require costly upgrades.