India to Discuss Major Rafale Fighter Jet Deal with France
High-Level Defense Meeting on Rafale Acquisition
In a significant development, India is set to engage in discussions this week regarding a substantial deal with France for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets, valued at approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore. These aircraft are expected to be manufactured in India, incorporating around 30% indigenous components.
Sources from the defense ministry have indicated that the proposal includes the Indian Air Force receiving approximately 12 to 18 Rafale jets in a ready-to-fly condition.
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Furthermore, during the upcoming high-level meeting, the Indian side is expected to request that France facilitate the integration of Indian weapons and other indigenous systems into the French aircraft under a government-to-government agreement. The source code will remain solely with the French side.
Interestingly, India is advancing this deal with France while both the United States and Russia have offered their fifth-generation fighter jets, namely the F-35 and SU-57, to the Indian Air Force.
The indigenous content in these jets is projected to be around 30%. Typically, 'Make in India' agreements require indigenous content to be between 50-60%. If approved, this would mark India's largest defense deal to date, increasing the total number of Rafale jets in the Indian military to 176, as the Indian Air Force already possesses 36 Rafale jets, and the Indian Navy ordered 26 Rafale jets last year.
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The details of the proposal for the 114 Rafale jets were submitted to the defense ministry a few months ago. Following approval from the defense ministry, the proposal will require final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security. This initiative to advance the proposal was taken shortly after the Rafale's impressive performance in Operation Sindoor, where it successfully neutralized Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its Spectra electronic warfare suite. It is anticipated that the number of indigenous components in the Rafale jets manufactured in India will exceed 60%.