A massive ₹3.25 lakh crore deal for the acquisition of 114 French-made Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme is likely to be cleared by the Defence Ministry this week, sources told Uday India on Tuesday. The timing is significant, coming just days ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to New Delhi, and is expected to give fresh momentum to India–France strategic defence ties.
If approved, the agreement would become India’s largest-ever weapons procurement deal. Crucially, it is also set to include provisions for manufacturing a substantial number of the aircraft—around 100—within India. This would involve the transfer of high-end fighter jet technologies and the establishment of a long-term strategic partnership, strongly reinforcing the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative in the defence sector.
Once finalised, the deal will further cement India’s position as one of the largest non-French operators of the Rafale, a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft widely regarded among the most capable and lethal fighter jets in the world. Designed for air superiority, deep strike, reconnaissance and nuclear deterrence roles, the Rafale has been a key force multiplier for the IAF.
India currently operates 36 Rafale fighters, with the Air Force having taken delivery of the final ‘C’ variant in December 2024. In addition, India has ordered 26 Rafale-M (Marine) variants for the Navy under a separate ₹63,000 crore agreement. That naval deal also included four twin-seat trainers and comprehensive support packages covering maintenance, logistics, personnel training and a long-term MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) framework.
The Rafale fleet in India has already seen operational deployment. IAF Rafales participated in Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack in May last year, and were also deployed during heightened tensions in Ladakh.
During Operation Sindoor, Rafales are believed to have fired SCALP air-launched cruise missiles—capable of striking hardened targets at distances exceeding 250 kilometres with high precision. The aircraft can also carry Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles, HAMMER stand-off precision-guided munitions, and is equipped with the advanced SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, along with state-of-the-art radar and targeting systems. Globally, the Rafale has seen combat in multiple theatres, including Iraq and Libya.
The proposed mega deal builds on a series of technology transfer and production agreements announced last year. In June, France and India unveiled four landmark industrial transfer deals between Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), aimed at accelerating deliveries and deepening indigenous manufacturing capabilities.
Under these agreements, Tata Advanced Systems is expected to establish a state-of-the-art production facility in Hyderabad. The facility will manufacture critical structural sections 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 segments are scheduled to roll off the assembly line in 2028, with a target output of two complete fuselages per month. Final assembly of the aircraft will continue at Dassault’s Merignac facility near Bordeaux, France.
Alongside expanding its Rafale fleet, India is also pushing ahead with indigenous fighter development. The Indian Navy is planning to induct home-grown, fifth-generation, twin-engine deck-based fighters being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). These aircraft will serve as the naval counterpart to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme currently under development for the IAF.
Together, the impending Rafale deal and parallel indigenous programmes underscore India’s twin-track approach: strengthening immediate combat capabilities through proven platforms, while steadily building long-term self-reliance in advanced military aviation.
Leave Your Comment