The Rafale fighter deal marks a decisive shift in India’s air power strategy. The Defence Acquisition Council has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale jets to close the Indian Air Force’s widening squadron gap. This Rafale fighter deal reflects urgent operational needs, rising regional tensions, and deeper strategic defence ties with France.
The Defence Acquisition Council has given the green light for a new deal involving 114 Rafale fighters from France. This is a reflection of how quickly defence procurement processes are changing to meet the needs of India’s armed forces. As a result, there has been an urgency to close the growing operational gap between what the Military Forces need and what they currently have.
The clearance also demonstrates the strategic alignment of defence and diplomatic relations between France and India. With less than half of the required number of squadrons for the IAF currently in service (29 of a planned 42), the imminent retirement of MiG-21s has widened this operational gap even further, leaving an enormous capability gap. To help close this gap, the IAF will be procuring new airframes while also building more airframes domestically under the “Make in India” initiative.
Domestic Manufacturing and Make in India Under the Rafale Fighter Deal
On Tuesday, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of a staggering ₹3.25 lakh crore worth of defence items: 90 jets will be made in India with the possibility of reaching as much as 50% indigenous content, and possibly even 60%; 18 jets will be delivered in fly-away condition, while the rest will be assembled locally; India will have the added benefit of integrating indigenous systems into the aircraft therefore gaining sovereignty; the Indian Air Force has already received 36 Rafale jets;
the Indian Navy approved 26 naval versions earlier; both combined capabilities enhance the logistics of conducting operations jointly; Defence Ministry and Air Force officials expect there will be significantly less training and maintenance costs; the Cabinet Committee must approve the final agreement before entering into a commercial contract; Acceptance of Necessity is the first step only and indicates that there is strong political will to follow through.
Maritime acquisitions and broader defence strategy
A total of six P-8I aircraft were cleared by the Council. In addition to enhancing anti-submarine capabilities, this will enhance the ability of the Navy to conduct maritime surveillance. The Navy already uses Poseidon platforms, but more will allow for greater long-range coverage for monitoring activities in the region around India.
This purchase represents a complete international procurement with the exception of any form of offsets or technology transfer clauses. The timing of this procurement may have been influenced by trade negotiations that took place during this period.
In addition, there is a larger package of items, which will include combat missile systems and a high-altitude flight system called a “pseudo satellite”. These will improve intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities. The Air Force has confirmed that it is not likely to receive an indigenous Air-to-Air Combat Aircraft (AMCA) until after 2035. For now, they are developing an interim capability that requires advanced, multirole fighter aircraft. Thus, the purchase of an additional Rafale fighter aircraft will help address a gap immediately.
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