The Indian Air Force’s proposal to buy 114 more Rafale fighter jets will be brought before the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) ahead of the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Under the proposal, India will buy 18 off-the-shelf Rafales from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. (AFP)Macron is scheduled to visit India for an AI summit in New Delhi from February 15 to 17.
The DAC is headed by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
As per the proposal, India will buy 18 off-the-shelf Rafales from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, while the remaining 96 fighter jets will be built in partnership with Indian private firms. Some of these jets will be twin-seater aircraft used for training.
The Council is expected to grant an Acknowledgment of Requirement (AoN) to the IAF for the acquisition of 114 Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft. As per India’s Defense Procurement Rules, the AoN from the Council is the first formal step in the acquisition process. Approval has already been given from the Defense Procurement Board.
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After the DAC’s approval, commercial negotiations are the next step; And then the plan would need clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Officials had earlier told Hindustan Times that the proposed 114-aircraft acquisition is likely to cost approx. ₹3.25 Cross.
India already has 36 Rafale fighter jets, which were also deployed against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. They were among the fighters who played a key role in India’s crackdown on terrorism and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
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Rafale jets are equipped with advanced weapon systems including Scalp missiles, Meteor air-to-air missiles and Hammer precision-guided bombs.
During Operation Sindur, these weapons not only destroyed Pakistani terrorist bases but also destroyed Pakistani aircraft.
Last October, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh made a strong case for speedy induction of new military hardware into the Air Force, including fighter jets.
He said the Rafale was an option to strengthen the IAF’s combat fleet, while underlining the need to build 114 multi-role fighter aircraft in India through a partnership between a foreign original equipment manufacturer and an Indian company.
The proposal is coming before the DAC after it was given the green signal by the Defense Procurement Board last month. The DPB is headed by Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
