Indonesia's defence relationship with the European Union (EU) has undergone significant development in recent years. Global geopolitical dynamics, marked by a shift in power toward a multipolar order, have encouraged both parties to strengthen their strategic partnership in the defence and security sector.
Indonesia, as the world's largest archipelagic nation with a strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, is a key partner for the EU as it seeks to expand its influence and engagement in Southeast Asia.
This article will review the latest developments in Indonesia's defence cooperation with the EU, covering bilateral dynamics with member states, joint military exercise agendas, and its link to the broader economic partnership.
Dynamics of Bilateral Cooperation with EU Member States
One of the main pillars of Indonesia's defence cooperation with the EU is its bilateral relations with its member states. France has emerged as a leading partner within this framework, with relations reaching their best phase in the history of both countries.
This was emphasized in a bilateral meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, Paris, in May 2026, which discussed strengthening cooperation in various priority sectors, including defence.
True evidence of the strong Indonesia-France defence relationship was the arrival of the first Rafale fighter jet in Indonesia. President Macron specifically highlighted this as concrete evidence of the growing strategic relationship between the two countries.
This cooperation is not limited to the acquisition of defence equipment but also includes the transfer of military technology and know-how. The meeting also discussed the implementation of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EU-CEPA), demonstrating the linkage between defence cooperation and the broader economic agenda.
In addition to France, Poland has also demonstrated increased engagement in defence cooperation with Indonesia.
In a meeting on the sidelines of the EU-Indo-Pacific Forum in Brussels in November 2025, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in the defence and economic sectors, with particular attention to energy security, digital transformation, and green technology.
Polish Ambassador to Indonesia, Barbara Szymanowska, assessed the discussions as concrete and comprehensive, demonstrating the complementary strengths of both countries and creating real opportunities for partnership.
Joint Military Exercise Agenda and Pegasus Mission 2026
One of the most recent agenda items in Indonesia's defence cooperation with the EU is the planned joint military exercise between the French and Indonesian militaries under the Pegasus Mission 2026. President Macron announced this plan in a joint speech with President Prabowo in Paris, with the exercise scheduled to take place in September 2026.
The Pegasus Mission itself is an air force deployment operation in the Indo-Pacific region that France has been conducting since 2018. The primary objective of this mission is to demonstrate France's ability to intervene quickly and effectively in the event of a geopolitical crisis.
In the Pegasus 2026 mission, the French air force will conduct joint exercises with Indonesia, continuing a series of previous visits and exercises. The French Air Force has previously visited Indonesia in 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2024, always bringing their flagship Rafale fighter jets.
Indonesia's participation in the Pegasus Mission holds strategic significance. Technically, this exercise provides the Indonesian military with an opportunity to learn firsthand how French-made defence equipment is used by its manufacturer, as well as to learn about the coordination and strategy of troop deployment in large-scale military operations.
It stated clearly that this knowledge transfer is crucial given Indonesia's recent purchase and deployment of French-made defence equipment.
Politically, these inter-country military exercises also have a strategic message dimension. Indonesia's involvement in the French-initiated exercises in the Indo-Pacific region reflects Indonesia's increasingly integrated position within a regional security network involving European actors.
This is inseparable from President Prabowo's vision, which projects that French and European power will become increasingly strong in the future amidst a multipolar world.
Strategic Partnership Framework and Security Dialogue
Indonesia's defence cooperation with the EU takes place within the framework of a broader strategic partnership. In July 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU's commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Indonesia across three key areas: trade, security, and people-to-people connectivity.
In the geopolitical and security sphere, the EU initiated the elevation of bilateral relations with Indonesia to a full strategic partnership, as a form of mutually beneficial long-term commitment and strengthening the EU's engagement in the ASEAN region.
Security policy dialogue is also a key pillar within this cooperation framework. Indonesia hosted the 8th Republic of Indonesia-EU Security Policy Dialogue in Semarang Central Java in September 2024. This meeting discussed a range of issues ranging from bilateral, regional, and multilateral security cooperation, with a shared vision to strengthen the partnership between Indonesia and the EU.
The two sides exchanged views on security trends, security cooperation, and respective defence initiatives amidst the evolving geopolitical and geo-economic situation in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The dialogue covered a wide range of areas, including counterterrorism and deradicalization, peacekeeping operations, maritime security, transnational organized crime, and disaster management. Both sides also agreed to promote dialogue on these issues through existing multilateral fora.
They also emphasized the importance of holding regular Security Policy Dialogues as one of the pillars of strengthening the Indonesia-EU partnership to create a strategic environment conducive to a rules-based international order, peace and stability.
The Linkage between the IEU-CEPA and the Economic Agenda
Indonesia's defence cooperation with the European Union cannot be separated from the broader context of its economic partnership, particularly through the IEU-CEPA. This agreement, which reached political agreement in July 2025 after a decade of negotiations, symbolizes a long-term partnership built on trust and shared values.
President Prabowo specifically expressed his appreciation for President Macron's support in accelerating the development of the IEU-CEPA, which was discussed alongside the defence cooperation agenda at the bilateral meeting in Paris.
The linkage between defence and economic cooperation is also evident in the optimistic statements of Polish officials that the implementation of the IEU-CEPA will support bilateral trade in various fields, including those related to defence and security technology.
The IEU-CEPA is expected to open new markets and bring significant opportunities in the industrial, agricultural, automotive, and service sectors, which in turn can support the strengthening of Indonesia's defence capacity through technology transfer and investment in strategic industrial sectors.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Despite showing positive developments, Indonesia's defence cooperation with the European Union also faces several challenges. One challenge is maintaining Indonesia's balanced position amidst the great power competition in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, Indonesia still needs to adopt a balancing strategy to avoid being seen as part of a particular Western country's self-interested operations. Moreover, Indonesia also conducts joint exercises with China as a counterweight, in accordance with the principles of an independent and active foreign policy.
Another challenge is ensuring that this defence cooperation will provide tangible benefits to Indonesia's defence capacity, rather than merely symbolic ones. Knowledge and technology transfer, increased interoperability, and strengthening the domestic defence industry must be the primary focus of various cooperation initiatives that have been and will be implemented.
Going forward, the prospects for defence cooperation between Indonesia and the European Union appear set to continue to grow, particularly with Europe's growing involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.
Plans for joint military exercises under the Pegasus 2026 Mission, increased security policy dialogue, and the strengthening of the full strategic partnership demonstrate both parties' commitment to deepening cooperation in the defence and security sectors.
With a cautious and balanced approach, this cooperation is expected to be an important instrument for Indonesia in strengthening its national defence capacity while maintaining stability and peace in the dynamic Indo-Pacific region.
