When Indonesian President Subianto announced from the podium of the UN General Assembly that "20,000 peacekeeping troops will be sent into Gaza at any time", the Ministry of Defense in Jakarta was secretly evaluating the procurement documents of China's J-10C fighter jets。
According to the Russian media "Satellite News Agency" on September 23, 2025, Indonesia's 20,000 troops will send troops to GazaThis is a promise made by Indonesian President Subianto in his speech to the UN General Assembly that India is willing to send 20,000 or more troops to achieve peace, whether in Gaza or anywhere else.
Indonesian "veterans" are under great pressure
The status quo of the Indonesian Air Force, saying that it is a diligent homeowner, saying that it is difficult to hear is that the F-16s in the hands of the United States and the Russian Su-27 and Su-30 fleet, are some "old soldiers" already, in the face of the surrounding countries of bird rifle exchange, the pressure can be imagined.
Neighbors such as Thailand and the Philippines are all intensively purchasing new fighter jets, an arms race has begun.
Jakarta did not think of the way.They had turned their eyes on several star fighter jets. France's "gusts"“Performance is really top, but when you look at the price label, you can breathe a cold breath, and the single price is up to $ 200 million.
Although Indonesia has signed up to buy 42 aircraft and may add 24 more, this expenditure is enough to cause headaches for any country's financial department.
They also considered the latest upgraded version of the F-16 F-16V, but Washington's attitude was ambiguous and reluctant. The Russian Su-35, has strong performance, but at this juncture, whoever buys it may be involved in unnecessary trouble. Indonesia dares not take this risk.
Indonesia has also invested in South Korea's KF-21 project, but that aircraft is still in the test flight stage, which is far from quenching its thirst. Seeing that the options are ruled out one by one, Indonesia's anxiety is increasing day by day.
Just at that time, China's J-10C enters their field of visionThe biggest temptation of this fighter aircraft is written in the statement of Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Taovanto – cost-to-price.
This account is easy to calculate. The price of the J-10C is approximately only one-third of the F-16V.。The money saved is enough for Indonesia to change its entire logistics support and pilot training system to China standards, and even have surplus. For Indonesia, which needs to be careful, this is an irresistible temptation.
It's not just as simple as buying a plane
Of course, if the J-10C is just cheap, it's not enough to make Indonesia make up its mind. The important thing is that it can fight.Colonel Harzono, commander of the Indonesian Air Force, showed great interest in it, and it was not without reason.
Export model J-10CE, It will be able to carry the famous long-range air-to-air missile “-15”.The missile has a range of 200 kilometers, and the performance does not lose anything to the US Army's AIM-120D.
This means that once equipped with the J-10C, the deterrence of the Indonesian Air Force will be raised to a higher level, enough to support itself in the skies of Southeast Asia. Trident Shield”。
However, the significance of choosing the J-10C goes far beyond the military level, which is more like an Indonesian "voting letter", a political declaration seeking true national defense independence.
For a long time, there has been an unwritten regulation on the global arms market, especially in the Middle East, that is, in Western countries. The United States will do whatever it takes to ensure Israel's absolute military advantage。This is an iron law for their arms sales in the Middle East and an invisible shackle for all buyers.
If you rely on European and American weapons systems, it will be difficult for you to have an independent stance on some sensitive issues.
Because once you and the interests of Israel or the United States are in conflict, the other side can cut off your arms supply, stop technical support, and turn advanced equipment purchased at high prices into a bunch of junk iron.
In addition to the risk of “card neck,” even more terrifying, there are rumors that, U.S. weapons may even reserve “backdoors”can be disabled remotely at critical moments. this insecurity, for one Indonesia is determined to move from a "regional power" to a "participant in global affairs"Generally speaking, it is intolerable.
Join a new circle of friends
China's arms sales model has just hit this pain point. Its core advantages are very simple and straightforward: No political conditions.Buying and selling is buying and selling, you pay and I deliver, and as to what you do with these weapons, as long as it does not violate international law, China will not interfere.
This model has a deadly appeal for countries that do not want to stand aside in complex international relations and want to maintain their independence, especially for countries like Indonesia. Countries hoping to act on the issue of Pakistan, it is crucial to choose a weapons supplier who will not dictate behind his back.
This explains why President Prabowo dared to move at the United Nations to send troops to Gaza. If his national defense relies entirely on the United States, which unconditionally supports Israel, what is the strength of this proposal? only when he He holds power in his hands unrestricted by man.At that time, his diplomatic attitude really carried weight.
Therefore, the purchase of J-10C can be regarded as an "insurance" for Indonesia's diplomatic ambitions. It ensures that Indonesia, in any potential future conflict, They will not be killed because of the source of weapons.。
Buying the J-10C also means getting a “entry ticket”, a ticket to integrate into a new safety cooperation ecosystem.
Look around, the predecessors are no longer a minority. Pakistan has long equipped the J-10C and China's Red Flag-9 air defense systems.。In the Middle East, even traditional allies of the United States such as Saudi Arabia have begun to purchase large-scale weapons from China. They not only bought the Hongqi-9, but also joined the J-35 stealth fighter procurement plan.
This trend of "de-Westernization" of arms procurement is reshaping the geopolitical map.
Once the Indonesian Air Force starts using China fighter jets, what will follow Comprehensive system migration such as training, logistics, and data links。This will deeply bind Indonesia's security cooperation with China, which is far from being comparable to a simple arms deal.
A more far-reaching layout is yet to come. According to some analyses, Indonesia's interest in the J-10C may be just a transition. Their ultimate goal may be to target China's more advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter-the J-35.
In today's world, the J-35 is the only choice for the fifth-generation aircraft that can be publicly sold and has enough performance to counter the F-35 equipped by Israel. Once Indonesia has this level of strategic weapons, Its regional and even global deterrence capabilities will undergo qualitative changes。
conclusion
So, back to the original question, from Jakarta to Gaza, How did a fighter aircraft become the strategic eye of Indonesia?
The answer is clear. for Indonesia, the J-10C plays a triple role: it is both a pragmatic "tool" to solve the difficulties of the modernization of the air force, but also a distinctive "flag" to declare diplomatic independence, free from the West's constraints, and also a valuable "ticket" to the future emerging security pattern and realize the dream of the great power.
This Indonesian trend, in response to the choices of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and other countries, jointly outlines the "third path" for the global South to seek strategic autonomy.
The war in Gaza is still burning. It is like a cruel touchstone, which not only tests humanity and justice, but also unexpectedly accelerates the formation of a new global power map. And Indonesia and its possible choice of J-10C are a key item on this new map that cannot be ignored。