With a symbolic stop at the Magelang Military Academy and a picture-perfect viewing of nearby world heritage site Borobudur Temple, they also played up the shared values that analysts say makes France an “important alternative” global power to bolster Indonesia’s sphere of influence.

Prabowo and his French counterpart flew together by helicopter on Thursday from Yogyakarta’s International Airport to Magelang, a city in Central Java surrounded by mountains that serves as Indonesia’s training ground for future Army officers.

After being welcomed with a reception by cadets in formation at the landing site, Prabowo took the driver’s seat of an official vehicle and invited Macron to join him at the front seat, as they made their way to the military academy’s main building, greeted along the route by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags.

The pair attended a military parade, where President Macron conferred the Grand Croix de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian and military distinction, on Prabowo, pinning the medal on him in front of top government officials, military officers and cadets.

In his speech during a luncheon with the French President and the academy cadets, Prabowo expressed gratitude for the award, saying: “This is a great honor for me and Indonesia”.

Macron’s visit to the Military Academy came after Indonesia and France signed some key defense agreements at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday. This includes a preliminary defense pact that could lead to new orders of French military equipment, including Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines, Macron said in a joint press conference with Prabowo that day.