Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto confirmed on the 15th that Indonesia plans to purchase J-10 fighter jets from China.
He stated that this is part of a military modernization program.
He said that the J-10 will soon fly over the skies of Jakarta, but refused to disclose further details.
According to a report by The Washington Post, Indonesia plans to buy at least 42 J-10 fighter jets.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that a total defense procurement budget of $9 billion (about 38.048 billion ringgit) has already been approved.
She pointed out that preparations for the procurement have been made, but the delivery time still needs to be confirmed.
The current Indonesian Air Force jet fleet comes from the United States and Russia, with some aircraft requiring upgrades or replacement. Early last year, Indonesia finalized the purchase of 42 Rafale fighter jets from France, with the first batch expected to be delivered early next year. Indonesia has also ordered 48 KF-21 and Kaan fighter jets from South Korea and Turkey, respectively.