In May 2025, a brief but intense clash between India and Pakistan turned into an unexpected arms demo: Russian-origin S-400 and BrahMos missiles won big accolades from the Indian side, while Pakistan heaped praise on its Chinese-supplied J-10C jets and PL-15 missiles.

Interestingly, an Asian country is not only acquiring Rafale jets that India used during the clash, but it is also planning to acquire BrahMos missiles, as well as J-10C and PL-15 missiles.

Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto has dramatically accelerated Indonesia’s long-stalled military modernisation, pushing the “Minimum Essential Force” (MEF) roadmap into its most ambitious phase in decades. The focus remains firmly on archipelagic defence and strengthening of the air and naval combat units.

Additionally, a cornerstone of Prabowo’s strategy is deliberate diversification of arms sources to avoid over-reliance on any single supplier.

In line with its goals, Indonesia has shown active interest in platforms that proved to be effective on the battlefield, irrespective of which side fielded them.

For instance, reports suggest that Jakarta is inching closer to finalising a US$450 million deal with India for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. The deal was reportedly discussed at the third India–Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue co-chaired by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Indonesia has been negotiating a deal for the BrahMos for several years, but the missile’s impressive performance against Pakistan may have given those efforts momentum.

Developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is among the most lethal weapons in India’s inventory.

India reportedly launched 15-19 BrahMos missiles during the four-day conflict, and none of them could be intercepted, according to multiple reports and experts.

Although tested for years, Operation Sindoor marked the BrahMos system’s first real combat deployment, in which its speed, accuracy, and deep-strike capability were demonstrated with devastating effect.

As per reports in the Indian media, the weapon was used to strike key military bases, including the Nur Khan Base in Rawalpindi. The missile was praised for its accuracy and described as a game-changer by the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh earlier this year.

Indonesia and India have nearly completed discussions on a potential purchase; however, since both countries (India and Russia) must approve the sale of the weapon to a third country, Moscow’s approval is awaited. If the sale goes through, Indonesia will become the second country, after the Philippines, to purchase the BrahMos.

These speculations come months after reports suggested that India was considering extending a $450 million line of credit to Indonesia to help finance a BrahMos purchase.

BrahMos is one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, and it can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. It is also part of India’s nuclear triad.

It is a two-stage weapon—the missile launches with a solid-fuel booster, which detaches after take-off. A liquid-fuelled ramjet engine then propels it at speeds approaching Mach 3.

The missile works on a “fire and forget” principle, meaning once launched, no further guidance is required. And, its terrain-hugging trajectories, low radar signatures, and high kinetic energy make it very difficult to intercept.

It can be launched from the ground, the sea, and the air.

While there is currently no information on which variant of the BrahMos Indonesia was eyeing, reports from last year suggested that Jakarta was exploring the air-launched variant of the missile, since it already operates the Su-30 Flanker, the designated BrahMos carrier.

In March 2023, BrahMos Aerospace CEO Atul D. Rane had said that the company was in advanced discussions with Jakarta on a deal under which it had offered to supply shore-based missiles and a version that can be mounted on warships.

Indonesia Wants Combat-Tested Weapon

Indonesia has confirmed plans to purchase 42 J-10C fighters in a deal worth nearly US$9 billion, despite already committing to the French Rafale jets.

China offered the J-10C to Indonesia less than a month after the Indo-Pakistan conflict, according to Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto in June 2025.

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced that “they will be flying over Jakarta soon,” underscoring Indonesia’s push to modernize its air force.

China has been promoting the aircraft based on claims that a J-10C of the PAF downed an Indian Rafale using the long-range PL-15 missiles, a claim India rejects.

Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao noted earlier that the J-10C, with its cutting-edge avionics and radar systems, has demonstrated exceptional beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat capabilities. He emphasized that it would be an attractive option for countries aiming to upgrade their fleets.

Some reports, however, stated that the cash-strapped Southeast Asian country could choose to purchase the second-hand J-10B instead.

The J-10C surpasses the J-10B, rivaling the Rafale or Eurofighter in BVR (beyond visual range) combat due to AESA radar and long-range PL-15 missiles, but the J-10B is in itself a very capable multi-role fighter. Besides, it may be much cheaper than the J-10C and affordable for Jakarta.

However, if it buys the J-10C, it is likely to opt for the PL-15 long-range missile, whose export variant has a range of about 150 kilometres. Both the aircraft and the long-range missile have remained in the limelight over Pakistan’s claims amplified by Beijing.

In addition, Indonesia signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to acquire additional Rafale fighter jets and other equipment during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Indonesia just days after the Indo-Pak conflict.

“I am delighted that the letter of intent signed today could open up a new perspective with new orders for Rafales, Scorpenes, light frigates,” Macron said at a joint press conference sitting alongside General Probowo Subianto.

Earlier, Indonesia had signed a US$8.1 billion defense deal with France in 2022 that included 42 Rafale fighter jets.

The Rafale is a battle-tested platform and was also extensively used by India to launch long-range strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

Indonesia is also purportedly acquiring MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM) as part of the package deal for 42 Rafale.

Rather than choosing one over the other, Indonesia is poised to acquire both systems with complementary capabilities: Rafale-Meteor for premium air superiority and long-range power projection, and the cost-effective J-10C with PL-15E missiles to provide robust air defense over its sprawling archipelago.

Moreover, it aligns with Indonesia’s reputation as the only Southeast Asian country looking to amass a mixed fleet comprising Soviet-era, Russian, French, American, South Korean, Turkish, and Chinese equipment.

This approach may entail added costs and the difficulty of maintaining a diverse fleet, but it aligns with Indonesia’s long-standing pattern of deliberate supplier diversification, which is essentially a hedge against sanctions, spare-parts embargoes, or geopolitical pressure.