French armed forces minister visits Indonesian naval academy

French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin paid a visit to the Indonesian Naval Academy in Surabaya as part of her official two-day visit to Indonesia. At the Naval Academy, Minister Vautrin met with academy leadership and engaged directly with cadets—notably those studying the French language.

This forms part of a broader push to expand military education exchanges, professional development, and long-term people-to-ties between the two armed forces. Her stop in Surabaya was part of a wider tour to cement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between France and Indonesia.

The visit follows high-level political talks in Jakarta with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, touching on joint defense manufacturing, interoperability, and upcoming bilateral exercises like Garuda Guerrier.