Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at the Élysée Palace in Paris on January 23, 2026, to attend a private dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting follows Prabowo's visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, aiming to bolster the strategic partnership between the two nations. The welcome ceremony was formal, featuring an honor guard.
President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Orly Airport in Paris around 2:50 p.m. local time on Friday, January 23, 2026, after departing Zurich International Airport, Switzerland, at 1:52 p.m. He was greeted by French Ambassador to Indonesia Fabien Penone, Indonesian Ambassador to France Mohamad Oemar, and Indonesian Defense Attaché Marsma TNI Hendra Gunawan. After walking the red carpet and shaking hands, Prabowo proceeded to the Élysée Palace.
In the evening, under Paris's dark sky with temperatures around 6 degrees Celsius feeling like 2 degrees, Prabowo was welcomed by an honor guard and musical detachment. He inspected the troops while wearing a long black suit and black peci, as Macron appeared in blue-lensed aviator glasses. The two shook hands firmly—Prabowo removing his gloves—followed by a warm hug, before walking side by side into the palace. Before entering the room, they posed for photos; Macron gave a thumbs up and said, "Thank you," to the photographers.
The private dinner took place in Le Salon des Portraits in a familiar atmosphere. According to the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat's official release, the relaxed yet meaningful conversation strengthened personal communication and opened opportunities for enhanced cooperation in strategic fields. Macron stated, "Pleased to welcome today in Paris the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto," emphasizing the bolstering of the partnership and alignment on global issues within France's G7 presidency framework.
This was not their first meeting; Prabowo had been hosted by Macron on July 24, 2024, as president-elect, and July 14, 2025. The visit underscores Indonesia's commitment to active diplomacy, though details on issues like the Gaza Peace Board—which Indonesia joined but France rejected—were not further disclosed. The event symbolized trust and joint commitment to mutually beneficial bilateral relations.
