India Set for Biggest Defence Deal With 114 Rafale Fighter Jets
India is preparing to finalise its largest-ever fighter aircraft deal as the Defence Acquisition Council moves toward approval of 114 Rafale jets, significantly boosting Air Force strength and domestic manufacturing.
- India plans to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Air Force.
- The deal will boost defence strength and local manufacturing.
- Rafale numbers in India will rise sharply after approval.
India is on the verge of sealing its biggest defence aviation deal with plans to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets, a move expected to significantly strengthen national air power and strategic deterrence. The proposal is likely to receive clearance from the Defence Acquisition Council in the coming days.
Once approved, the agreement will become the largest fighter aircraft purchase in India’s history. Officials indicate that the deal could be formally signed during the upcoming visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to India, giving fresh momentum to Indo French defence cooperation.
Under the plan, the Indian Air Force will receive 114 Rafale aircraft, including 88 single seat combat fighters and 26 twin seat trainer variants. All aircraft under this package are meant exclusively for Air Force operations. With this addition, India’s Rafale fleet will expand substantially, building on the earlier 2016 agreement for 36 jets.
The new contract places strong emphasis on domestic production. Only 18 aircraft will be manufactured in France, while the remaining 96 will be built in India under transfer of technology. Final assembly is proposed at the Dassault Reliance Aerospace facility in Nagpur, with key structures such as fuselage sections and wings to be produced at Tata Advanced Systems in Hyderabad. Deliveries are expected to begin from 2030.
Parallel to this, India has already finalised a separate agreement for the Navy to induct 26 Rafale M jets for aircraft carrier operations, with deliveries starting from 2031. Together, the Air Force and Navy deals will eventually take India’s Rafale strength to 176 aircraft.
The defence package also includes plans to procure long range SCALP stealth cruise missiles, which can be launched from Rafale jets. Valued at around Rs 3200 crore, this missile deal is also awaiting formal approval and is expected to enhance India’s deep strike capability.
Defence officials say the Rafale expansion marks a major leap in combat readiness, indigenous manufacturing and long term air defence planning, reinforcing India’s position in the regional security landscape.
