Jakarta: Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced that the country is set to acquire 10 Chengdu J-10 fighter jets from China. Sjamsoeddin informed reporters that the jets "will be flying over Jakarta soon," although he did not provide an exact timeline or the expected delivery date.

According to Anadolu Agency, the purchase is part of Indonesia's efforts to strengthen its air defense capabilities. The J-10 purchase plan was first made public last month, and once finalized, it will represent Indonesia's first acquisition of Chinese fighter jets.

In addition to the J-10s, Indonesian Air Force chief Mohamad Tonny Harjono announced last month that three new Rafale fighter jets from France are expected to arrive in February.

The J-10CE, a fourth-generation multirole fighter developed by China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, gained attention after reports surfaced that it downed several French-made Rafale jets of the Indian Air Force during the India-Pakistan clashes in May. Pakistan's Air Force reportedly deployed the J-10C during retaliatory operations after India's May 7 strike.

In a related development, Bangladesh also expressed its intent earlier this month to purchase 20 Chinese-made fighter jets worth around $2.2 billion. This move is part of Bangladesh's initiative to modernize its air force and enhance national air defense capacity.