The Defence Ministry has received and initiated discussions on a proposal from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to acquire 114 'Made in India' Rafale fighter jets. The aircraft would be built by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation in collaboration with Indian aerospace firms.
According to ANI, the mega project is estimated to be worth over Rs 2 lakh crore, with more than 60 per cent indigenous content. It is expected to be taken up by the Defence Procurement Board (DPB), headed by the Defence Secretary, in the coming weeks.
Defence officials told ANI, "The Statement of Case (SoC) or the proposal for the 114 Rafale jets prepared by the Indian Air Force was received by the Defence Ministry a few days ago and is under consideration of the different wings under it, including Defence Finance. After deliberations, the proposal would then be moved to the DPB, followed by the Defence Acquisition Council."
Once cleared, this would become the biggest-ever defence deal signed by the Indian government. The acquisition will raise the number of Rafales in India’s arsenal to 176, as the IAF has already inducted 36, and the Navy has placed orders for another 36 through government-to-government agreements.
The move comes after the Rafale’s strong performance in Operation Sindoor, where it reportedly outmatched Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its advanced Spectra electronic warfare suite. The new batch of Rafales to be built in India is also expected to feature longer-range air-to-ground missiles, surpassing the existing Scalp missiles that were effectively deployed against military and terrorist targets inside Pakistan.
ANI reported that Dassault is also planning to set up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for the M-88 engines in Hyderabad. The company has already established a dedicated unit to handle the maintenance of French-origin fighter jets. Indian firms, including Tata, are likely to play a major role in the local manufacturing process.
Officials emphasized that India faces an urgent requirement to expand its fighter fleet to meet regional security challenges. The IAF’s future force structure is expected to be anchored around the Su-30 MKI, Rafale, and indigenous fighter programs. India has already placed an order for 180 LCA Mark 1A jets and plans to induct a fifth-generation indigenous fighter aircraft in significant numbers after 2035.
*With ANI inputs
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