New Delhi: India is poised to sign the largest defence contract in its history, with a deal to procure 114 additional Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force expected to be finalised next month. The agreement is likely to be signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India, marking a major boost to India–France strategic defence cooperation.
The government-to-government deal will be executed without intermediaries and carries a price tag of around ₹3.25 lakh crore. Significantly, the project will give a major push to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, with nearly 80 per cent of the Rafale fighter jets slated to be manufactured in India. Around 60 per cent of the production is expected to use indigenous components.
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale jets. The proposal to acquire 114 more aircraft was submitted to the Ministry of Defence last year and has now received approval from the Defence Procurement Board, chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The proposal will next be reviewed by the Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, before receiving final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by the Prime Minister.
Under the proposed timeline, 18 Rafale fighter jets are expected to be delivered by 2030, with the remaining aircraft to be produced domestically. Once completed, the deal is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Air Force’s combat strength while strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
