India is preparing to advance one of its largest-ever defence acquisitions, with the Letter of Request for 114 Rafale fighter jets from France now finalised and expected to be sent shortly, defence sources said.
The proposed deal, estimated at around ₹3.25 lakh crore, marks the next step in a long-pending plan to expand the Indian Air Force’s combat fleet under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme.
Under the proposal, a majority of the jets, nearly 90, are expected to be built in India through a partnership between Dassault Aviation and an Indian company, while the rest will be supplied directly from France. Officials say the project could see close to 50 per cent indigenous content under the Make-in-India framework.
Momentum around the deal is expected to build further with the Air Force chief’s visit to France ahead of the Prime Minister’s trip for the G7 Summit, with negotiations likely to move towards final pricing and Cabinet Committee on Security approval later this year.
If cleared, the contract would significantly expand India’s Rafale fleet, which currently stands at 36 aircraft inducted under the 2016 agreement. India is also separately procuring 26 Rafale Marine jets for the Navy.
The fresh acquisition comes as the IAF continues to operate with around 29 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42.5, underscoring long-standing concerns over capability gaps amid a two-front security environment.