India to submit LoR to France for purchase of 114 Rafale jets

New Delhi: India is all set to submit a Letter of Request to France on the purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets in a government-to-government deal, three months after the Defence Ministry gave a green signal to the Rs 3.25 lakh crore purchase.

Once a response comes from manufacturer Dassault Aviation, a contract negotiation committee would be set up to finalise the deal, following which it would go to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final clearance, sources said.

The aircraft’s manufacturer Dassault Aviation will produce 96 aircraft in India for which it would tie up with local industries, sources said, adding that the remaining 18 would come in a fly away condition. The 114 aircraft will be a mix of 88 single seater and 26 twin seater (trainer) versions.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh is scheduled to visit France for a three-day official tour in the first week of June and the Rafale deal is likely to figure in the discussions that the IAF chief will be having with French officials. However, it is not clear whether submission of the LoR will coincide with Air Chief Marshal’s visit.

Nevertheless, some forward movement on the long awaited deal is expected next month as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting France in June to attend the G7 meeting. This comes close on the heels of French president Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in February.

The IAF currently has 36 Rafale fighter jets at Ambala and Hasimara air bases while the Indian Navy last year ordered 26 Rafale-Marine for its aircraft carriers. The delivery of Rafale-M will begin by 2028.

India faces an urgent need of fighter jets as the current combat aircraft squadron strength is down to 29, which is the lowest operational strength the force has seen in six decades. It falls short of the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons required to manage a simultaneous two-front threat.