Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 11:03 AM

Indonesian military to join Garuda Guerrier joint drills in France

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Walda Marison, Nabil Ihsan

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stated that the Indonesian military will participate in the Garuda Guerrier joint exercise planned for November 2026 in France.

Sjamsoeddin confirmed the planned exercise while receiving French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin at the Defense Ministry office here on Wednesday.

"The presence of Her Excellency here allows us to plan the Garuda Guerrier exercise in France in November 2026," Sjamsoeddin said in a press conference after the bilateral meeting.

The defense minister said the joint drill will strengthen bilateral cooperation and bolster the military capabilities of Indonesia and France.

It also serves as a follow-up agenda after the recent completion of the Mission Pegase 2026 joint exercise at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

For the November exercise, Indonesia proposes several cooperations with France, including the exchange of officers for advanced military training and courses.

"The exchange of officers for courses and training is to develop inter-institutional relations and nurture person-to-person contact," he stated.

"We hope it will serve as a momentum to strengthen not only our defense cooperation but also relations between the Indonesian and French nations," Sjamsoeddin remarked.

Rafale fighter jets operated by the Indonesian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force conducted air-to-air refueling exercises as part of the Mission Pegase 2026 joint exercise at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base on Wednesday.

The French Air Force brought Rafale fighter jets and Airbus A400M transport aircraft to Jakarta as part of a stopover for Mission Pegase 2026 in Indonesia.

Mission Pegase 2026 runs from September 8 to October 15, covering approximately 80 flight hours and a distance of 40,000 kilometers. It had a stopover in Indonesia on September 20-25.

Besides Indonesia, the French exercise also covers Greenland in Denmark, Canada, Alaska in the United States, South Korea, Japan, India, Qatar, and Egypt.

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