JAKARTA: Indonesia’s interest in purchasing Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets as part of its military modernisation plan has recently resurfaced, which was met by concerns from defence experts over the financial burden of operating non-Western aircraft and the potential geopolitical ramifications of such a deal.
On Thursday (Sept 18), Defence Ministry spokesperson Brig Gen Frega Wenas Inkiriwang confirmed that Jakarta remained interested in acquiring at least 42 Chinese J-10C fighter jets, with the Indonesian Military (TNI) conducting assessment on the aircraft’s suitability for the force’s need.
“The Air Force is currently evaluating the J-10C, as we aim to select only the best platforms for our primary weapons system in supporting the implementation of our current policies,” Frega told reporters.
But he suggested the potential purchase was still a long way off, as no discussions have taken place about key details, such as the contract value and delivery timetable.
Frega declined to comment to The Jakarta Post on Thursday when asked about the assessment’s progress, saying in a statement the evaluation was “still in the process.”
The spokesperson previously said among the main considerations of the Air Force was how well the J-10C would support its priority programmes under the Perisai Trisula Nusantara, or Nusantara Trident Shield (NTS) defence vision for dealing with both domestic and international threats.
First initiated by President Prabowo Subianto during his tenure as defence minister, the NTS aimed to synergise the three armed services of the TNI. It mandates for the Air Force specifically to modernise its weapons system, streamline commands and units as well as improve its human resources.
Over the past decade, the TNI and its Air Force branch have largely turned to Western suppliers to meet these priorities. The military signed a US$8 billion contract in 2024 for 42 Rafale fighter jets from France, as well as a memorandum of understanding with the United States in 2023 to procure 24 F-15EX aircraft.
The J-10C has been described by many analysts as the affordable and accessible alternative to the US’ F-16 jets. The aircraft caught wider international attention earlier this year, after Pakistan claimed its J-10Cs, supplied with Chinese-made PL-15 missiles, shot down several Indian planes, three of which were France’s Rafales, during a conflict between the two South Asian countries.
Built with advanced radar and easy-to-use cockpit, the J-10C has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, or nearly twice the speed of sound, and a maximum range of 1,850km. It can carry a combination of long-range air-to-air and anti-ship missiles as well as precision bombs that can hit ground or naval targets, a useful feature for Indonesia’s archipelagic defence environment.
In June, Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto said there was no solid plan for purchasing the J-10Cs yet.
But he emphasised Indonesia’s position as a non-aligned country that allowed it to supply its weapons from any country it liked.
“If our evaluation ended up showing this model of fighter jet could be a good option that could fulfill our criteria, why wouldn’t we make the purchase, especially given its cheap price?” Donny said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
But experts questioned the strategic value of the purchase, with some pointing out larger purchases within the military should be reserved for more urgent primary weapon systems (Alutsista) relevant to the country’s archipelagic defence landscape, such as monitoring vessels and submarines for the Navy.
The J-10C’s price tag, which open sources estimate could be around US$15 million to $30 million cheaper than an F-16, also does not account for the cost of the aircraft’s maintenance, according to analyst Beni Sukadis of the Indonesia Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies (Lesperssi).
“The cost of maintaining, repairing and overhauling the J-10Cs will definitely be bloated,” Beni said on Friday, “because Indonesia now will depend on the Chinese logistics ecosystem that’s very different from the Western, or even the Russian platforms it’s used to working with.”
Jakarta could also run into technical financial challenges, he added, as China’s defense market has yet to integrate completely into Indonesia’s usual credit export schemes, an unresolved mismatch that potentially “increases fiscal risks”.
Reports recently circulated that Prabowo had been interested in buying the J-10Cs, but was delayed in making the purchase due to some issues relating to funding.
According to these accounts, talks point at future purchases likely to be made using Chinese payment schemes.
Despite being politically non-aligned, Beni also urged the government to refrain from underestimating the geopolitical implications of its choices.
The optics of a major arms purchase from China made after decades of relying mainly on Western suppliers, he added, could be read by partners and rivals alike as a shift in Jakarta’s security orientation.
“This move could spark regional sensitivities,” Beni continued, “especially at the South China Sea where China has direct interests that, on various occasions, have clashed with those of Indonesia’s.” - The Jakarta Post/ANN
