Big update in Rafale deal: India begins process to procure 114 jets for Rs 3.25 lakh crore India has initiated the formal process to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, with the deal valued at approximately Rs 3.25 lakh crore. This marks a significant milestone in the country’s largest military procurement program to date. According to defense ministry sources, the Acquisition Wing of the Ministry of Defence issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to the French government last week, beginning the government-to-government procurement process. The French side is anticipated to respond within two to three months, with negotiations expected to conclude and the agreement finalized within a year. The proposed acquisition is part of the Indian Air Force’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, designed to address the service’s declining fighter squadron strength. Currently, the IAF operates 36 Rafale jets acquired under the 2016 India-France agreement. However, the force faces a significant capability gap, as its fighter strength has dropped to around 29 squadrons, far below the sanctioned requirement of 42.5. The new deal aims to bridge this gap by significantly expanding the fleet. Under the proposed agreement, the majority of the aircraft will be manufactured in India through a collaboration between French aerospace company Dassault Aviation and an Indian firm under the Make in India initiative. Defense officials have indicated that approximately 90 to 94 jets could be produced domestically, while the remaining aircraft would be sourced directly from France. The program is projected to achieve nearly 50% localisation, marking a major step toward self-reliance in defense manufacturing.#india #france #indian_air_force #make_in_india #dassault_aviation
