JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The defense ministers of France and Indonesia agreed Friday to work more closely to maintain regional stability, Indonesian officials said.

Visiting French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, agreed in a meeting that the two countries can collaborate through technology exchange and other forms of cooperation, Indonesian Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Frega Wenas said.

The French Embassy in Jakarta said earlier this week that France had deployed a carrier strike group to Indonesia for the first time. The Charles De Gaulle, France’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, made stops in Bali and Lombok, where it carried out a number of logistical activities as part of a six-month mission in the Pacific that started in November 2024.

The Charles De Gaulle also participated in a joint exercise with warships from eight countries in the Straits of Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok, the embassy said.

Last July, French air force planes made a stopover in Indonesia’s capital as part of a visit to Southeast Asia that was meant to display France’s commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing Chinese maritime activity there.

Indonesian and French defense ministers agree to deepen cooperation to maintain regional stability | iNFOnews.ca — France’s Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, left, walks with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as honor guards salute after their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Military cooperation between Indonesia and France has grown in recent years, since President Prabowo Subianto was still serving as Indonesia’s defense minister.

Last year, Indonesia purchased 42 Rafale and Dassault Aviation fighter jets and is expected to receive the first Rafale jets under the contract in 2026. It also announced the purchase of two French Scorpene Evolved submarines and 13 Thales Ground Control Interception radars. Five of the radar systems are expected to be installed in the country’s new capital, Nusantara.

The purchases come as tensions are rising in the region, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, where China is asserting its expansive territorial claims. While Indonesia is not a claimant state, it has clashed with China over fishing rights near the Natuna Islands, which lie within its exclusive economic zone but are also claimed by China.

The South China Sea contains crucial shipping lanes, abundant fish stocks and undersea mineral resources. Efforts between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to establish a code of conduct to prevent conflicts have seen little progress.