Denpasar - The French frigate Vendemiaire together with the Falcon 200 from the French Joint Armed Forces in New Caledonia are anchored in the waters of Tanjung Benoa, Bali, preparing to take part in the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2025.
French Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN Fabien Penone when met in Denpasar, Saturday said that his country's participation, as an Indo-Pacific resident country in the joint exercise, shows its commitment to regional stability, freedom of navigation and maritime security.
He also said the exercise was important as a form of increasing operational readiness in facing joint maritime challenges.
"We are an Indo-Pacific country and have close cooperation with Indonesia. So, it is important for us to train, work together with our partners in the region, and deal with various maritime threats, such as maritime security, illegal fishing, and disaster management," he said.
He explained that apart from strengthening regional cooperation, France and Indonesia have bilateral cooperation.
In addition to joint operations in MNEK 2025, Indonesia has also taken part in the La Perouse 25 exercise initiated by the French Navy.
Fabien said France and Indonesia share the same vision regarding strengthening maritime security and collective humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
Moreover, he said, President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto when he was Minister of Defense had established close cooperation with France.
"The long-term cooperation with President Prabowo Subianto started when he was the Minister of Defense. So, we are very happy with this partnership and now deepening this cooperation step by step with dialogue in a convincing manner," he said.
The Vendemiaire is a Floreal-class frigate, based in Noumea, belonging to the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia dedicated to various missions, including sovereignty missions in the French exclusive economic zone, humanitarian assistance and cooperation.