The Defence Ministry has given the green light to a proposal worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from France for the Indian Air Force. This approval was granted by the Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which sanctioned the Acceptance of Necessity for the program. The clearance has been provided just before the official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Delhi.
The deal entails India buying 18 ready-made Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation, with the remaining 96 to be manufactured in India. Some of these jets will be twin-seater aircraft used for training purposes. The agreement will also involve the transfer of advanced fighter jet technology and a strategic partnership to support the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
India currently operates 36 Rafales in its air force, with plans to acquire 26 more for the Indian Navy. These naval variants will be deployed on the INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya aircraft carriers. The Rafale jets have already demonstrated their capabilities in combat, including their use in Operation Sindoor to target precise locations in Pakistan.
France and India have also inked production transfer agreements to expedite the delivery of Rafales to India. Tata Advanced Systems Limited is set to establish a modern production facility in Hyderabad for manufacturing key components of the Rafale fighter. The initial fuselage segments are expected to be ready by 2028.
