Centre may soon consider IAF’s proposal to buy 114 Rafale jets from France

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry may soon consider the Indian Air Force’s long awaited proposal to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets from France in a government to government deal in order to replenish the IAF’s depleting squadron strength.

A decision from the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected in near future before French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned India visit next month.

While defence ministry officials told DH the deal was under negotiations, a news agency has reported quoting sources that it would cost around Rs 3.25 lakh crore and the combat jets would have 30 per cent indigenous content.

If approved, this would be India’s biggest defence deal and the country will operate 176 French origin combat jets.

The IAF currently has 36 of them at Ambala and Hasimara air bases while the Indian Navy last year ordered 36 Rafale-Marine for its aircraft carriers. The delivery of Rafale-M will begin by 2028.

Notwithstanding the DAC green flag, signing of a commercial pact with the manufacturer Dassault Aviation would take time as the deal needs to be cleared by the Union Finance Ministry and finally by the Cabinet Committee of Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said.

As per the proposal, some of the aircraft will come in a fly away condition while the rest will be manufactured in India in Dassault’s manufacturing facility at Nagpur involving major Indian players.

Last year, Dassault Aviation partnered with Tata Advanced Systems to make Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage for India and other global markets.

The TASL would produce key structural sections of the Rafale, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section in its Hyderabad facility.

The first fuselage sections are likely to roll off the assembly line in FY2028, while the facility plans to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month.