The Defence Ministry on Thursday approved a Rs 3.25 lakh crore proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from France for the Indian Air Force, news agency IANS reported quoting sources.
The approval was granted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to the programme. The clearance comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s forthcoming official visit to Delhi.
Following the Defence Ministry’s approval, the deal will require final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Under the proposal, India will acquire 18 Rafale jets in flyaway condition from French defence major Dassault Aviation, while the remaining 96 aircraft will be manufactured in India.
Some of the jets will be twin-seater variants for training purposes. The agreement includes the transfer of advanced fighter jet technology and a strategic partnership aimed at boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
How many Rafale jets does India currently have?
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale jets across two squadrons, with the final delivery of the ‘C’ variant completed in December 2024.
Additionally, 26 Rafale ‘M’ variant jets have been ordered for the Indian Navy under a Rs 63,000 crore deal. These naval aircraft will operate from INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
The naval contract also covers fleet maintenance, logistics support and personnel training under a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) agreement.
Rafale jets were deployed during Operation Sindoor to carry out precision strikes in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in May last year.
During the operation, the aircraft launched SCALP air-launched cruise missiles capable of striking hardened targets at distances exceeding 250 km with high precision.
Jets equipped to carry Meteor long-range missiles
The jets are also equipped to carry Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles, Hammer stand-off strike weapons and the Spectra advanced electronic warfare suite, along with sophisticated radar and targeting systems.
In June last year, India and France announced four major production transfer agreements between Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, aimed at accelerating deliveries of Rafale aircraft to India.
Tata Advanced Systems is set to establish a state-of-the-art production facility in Hyderabad to manufacture key structural components of the Rafale, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage and the front section.
The first fuselage sections are expected to roll off the production line in 2028.