France sends proposal for 114 Rafale fighter jets deal with India: Report

France has submitted its detailed technical and commercial proposal to India for the acquisition of 114 Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, marking a significant step in the long-pending defence programme. The proposal includes large-scale manufacturing of the aircraft in India, according to a report.

The proposal is France’s response to India’s Letter of Request (LoR) for the government-to-government acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets. It is currently being examined by the Acquisition Wing of the Defence Ministry and the Indian Air Force, defence sources told ANI.

The Indian side will assess the French proposal in detail, including plans to integrate Indian weapons such as variants of the Astra air-to-air missiles and increase indigenous content in the aircraft, sources said to the news agency

Under the proposal, France plans to manufacture 94 of the 114 Rafale aircraft in India in partnership with a local industry partner. The production programme will involve French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation and its partners, including missile maker MBDA, engine manufacturer Safran and defence technology company Thales.

The proposed deal is expected to involve significant indigenisation and could create opportunities worth around Rs 1.6 lakh crore for Indian industry players, including Tata, Larsen & Toubro and others.

India had issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to France in May this year seeking the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force through a government-to-government deal.

The Rafale aircraft are expected to become one of the key fighter platforms of the Indian Air Force in the coming years. They were selected by the Defence Ministry in 2012 after a lengthy global competition.

The acquisition is considered important as the Indian Air Force faces a decline in squadron strength following the retirement of ageing aircraft, including Russian-origin MiG fighter variants, along with delays in the induction of indigenous platforms such as the LCA Mark1A and LCA Mark 2.

The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy have already placed orders for 62 Rafale aircraft. If the proposed acquisition is approved, India’s Rafale fleet will increase to 176 aircraft. The Indian Navy has also expressed its intent to induct 31 more Rafale aircraft to meet maritime security requirements, which could take the overall Rafale fleet in the country beyond 200 aircraft.

The Defence Ministry had undertaken a major capability assessment under Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh after he took charge in 2024, with a focus on strengthening the Indian Air Force’s operational readiness.

The Defence Acquisition Council had cleared the Indian Air Force’s proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets around five months ago.