Jakarta: France and Indonesia inked 27 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth $11 billion during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Jakarta, state news agency ANTARA reported on Thursday. Indonesia's Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto highlighted the significance of these agreements, which were signed in two phases.

According to Anadolu Agency, 16 MoUs were signed in the presence of Macron and President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday morning, with an additional 11 agreements finalized later in the day at the Indonesia-France Business Forum. This event was attended by 368 delegates from both countries, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind these partnerships.

The memoranda cover a broad spectrum of cooperation, including government-to-government (G2G), business-to-business (B2B), and people-to-people partnerships. Hartarto expressed confidence in the agreements, stating, "This will further strengthen the longstanding relationship between Indonesia and France, which has lasted for 75 years."

During a joint news conference with Prabowo, Macron expressed his optimism about the future collaborations between the two nations. He mentioned that the letter of intent signed could pave the way for new orders involving Rafales, Scorpenes, light frigates, and joint exercises. Macron's visit to Indonesia was part of a regional tour, which included stops in Vietnam prior to Jakarta and a scheduled visit to Singapore on Friday.