"The contract entered into force on July 23, 2025," Head of the Ministry's Defense Information Bureau, Brigadier General Frega Ferdinand Wenas Inkiriwang, stated in Jakarta on Friday (July 25).
He noted that with the contract now in force, the Naval Group has begun the manufacturing process for the submarines, which will later be assembled jointly with Indonesia’s state-run shipbuilder PT PAL.
Inkiriwang noted that this scheme is part of the ongoing cooperation between the two companies in the field of submarine technology development.
The agreement for the purchase of the Scorpene submarines was signed by their representatives during the Indo Defence and Forum 2025 in Jakarta last June.
Earlier, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL), Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that his side had moved to set up a special task force manned by personnel who will be trained to operate the French submarines.
"For the Scorpene submarines, we have prepared a task force along with its personnel. We just have not issued an official order for the task force," he told the media at a TNI-AL Marine Corps base in South Jakarta on Thursday (July 24).
In addition to preparing personnel, the admiral stated that the Navy had begun making arrangements to provide all necessary support for the submarine project, including appointing a Navy officer as head of the assembly team at PT PAL.
"Moreover, we are working to establish the facilities needed to move the submarines from land to sea and vice versa," Ali noted.
He expressed hope that PT PAL would share the same commitment to ensuring thorough preparations for the submarines.
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Translator: Walda M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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