India is set to discuss a proposal to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets from France in a high-level Defence Ministry meeting this week. The deal, valued at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore, would see the jets manufactured
in India with an indigenous content of about 30 per cent.
Top defence sources told news agency ANI that 12-18 of the jets could be acquired in fly-away condition for immediate induction into the Indian Air Force.
India is also seeking permission from France to integrate Indian weapons and systems into the aircraft under the government-to-government deal. The source codes, however, will remain with the French side.
The move comes even as the United States and Russia have offered their fifth-generation fighters — the F-35 and Su-57 — to India. Currently, India has 36 Rafale jets, while the Indian Navy ordered 26 last year. If approved, this would be India’s largest-ever defence deal, taking the total Rafale count to 176.
The proposal, known as the Statement of Case (SoC), was prepared by the Indian Air Force and submitted to the Defence Ministry months ago. Once cleared, it will require final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The decision follows the Rafale’s performance in Operation Sindoor, where the aircraft reportedly outmatched advanced Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its Spectra Electronic Warfare suite.
The French company Dassault is also expected to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in India, with domestic firms such as Tata participating in manufacturing.
India’s urgent need for fighter jets reflects growing regional security concerns. The Indian Air Force aims to maintain a force structure built around Su-30 MKIs, Rafales, and indigenous aircraft, including the LCA Mark 1A and a future fifth-generation fighter beyond 2035.
(With inputs from ANI)
