"If this order goes through ... that means 7,000 jobs during 18 months. That is massive", Parly told BFM TV.

French website La Tribune.fr, citing several sources, reported a deal could be signed soon.

Indonesia would like to seal a deal before the end of the year but French negotiators want to take the time necessary to fine-tune the details, it said.

Parly also said France was talking to Greece, Finland and Switzerland about Rafale jets.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and John Irish; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Alison Williams and Tom Brown)