JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia has purchased 12 new drones from Turkish Aerospace for $300 million, according to the country’s defense ministry. This acquisition is part of Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to modernize its aging military equipment.
The deal was made following Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s call in July for responsible budget spending, particularly in the country’s security agencies, including the defense ministry.
Earlier this year, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto faced criticism for sealing an $800 million agreement to purchase 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, which were deemed too old. Additionally, in February, Indonesia bought 42 Rafale fighter jets for $8.1 billion, to be disbursed gradually over the next few years.
According to government data, the defense ministry has the largest allocation of the country’s budget for this year, amounting to 134.3 trillion rupiah ($8.89 billion).
The agreement with Turkish Aerospace, based in Ankara, was finalized in February, and the delivery of the drones is expected within 32 months of signing. The deal also includes training and flight simulators, as stated in the defense ministry’s statement.
The exchange rate is currently $1 = 15,110.0000 rupiah.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
