A Rafale Fighter Jet.
Indian Air Force Rafale Fighter Deal: New Delhi, January 16, 2026 — India has taken a significant step towards expanding the combat strength of its air power, with a high-level defence panel clearing a proposal to procure 114 additional Rafale fighter jets from France. The move marks the first formal approval in what could become one of the largest defence acquisition deals in the country’s history, valued at over Rs 3 lakh crore (USD 33 Billion).
The proposal, put forward by the Indian Air Force (IAF), was approved on January 16 by a defence panel headed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. With this clearance, the plan will now be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which serves as the Ministry of Defence’s highest decision-making body on procurement matters.
If approved by the DAC, the deal will still require final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before a contract can be formally signed.
A Major Boost to IAF Capabilities
Defence officials described the development as strategically significant, both because of the scale of the proposed acquisition and its potential impact on the Indian Air Force’s operational readiness. The addition of 114 Rafale jets would substantially bolster the IAF’s combat strength at a time when it faces the challenge of maintaining adequate squadron strength amid the retirement of older aircraft.
India has already inducted 36 Rafale jets into the IAF, which have been deployed across key air bases and are considered among the most advanced fighters in the service. In addition, the Indian Navy signed a contract last year for 26 Rafale Marine variants to equip its aircraft carriers. If the new proposal is cleared and implemented, the total number of Rafale aircraft across the Indian armed forces could rise to 176.
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Rafale fighter jet.
Political and Diplomatic Momentum
Officials indicated that the proposed deal could gain further momentum during the upcoming visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India, expected next month. Macron is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Modi, and defence cooperation is likely to be a key agenda item. While the contract may not be signed immediately, defence sources suggested that a formal announcement or significant progress on the Rafale deal could coincide with the visit.
India and France have maintained a close strategic partnership, particularly in the defence sector, with cooperation spanning fighter aircraft, submarines, space and joint military exercises. The Rafale programme has been a cornerstone of this relationship over the past decade.
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Long Road to the Current Proposal
The IAF submitted its proposal for 114 Rafale jets to the Defence Ministry in September 2025, following an internal evaluation process that also considered alternative offerings from American manufacturer Boeing, Swedish firm Saab, and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). These aircraft had previously been evaluated during the 2007 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender.
That original tender was eventually cancelled under the Modi government in 2015, and India instead signed a government-to-government deal with France in 2016 for the purchase of 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition. The current proposal effectively represents a revival of the larger acquisition plan, this time with a strong emphasis on domestic manufacturing.
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Push for ‘Make in India’
In anticipation of the potential 114-jet contract, Dassault Aviation has already announced plans to establish a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The French manufacturer is also expected to partner with an Indian company to assemble the aircraft locally as part of the new deal.
Defence officials said the contract could mandate a minimum of 30 percent indigenisation, with provisions to steadily increase the level of local content over the course of implementation. Estimates suggest that nearly 80 percent of the contracted aircraft — close to 100 jets — could ultimately be manufactured in India, providing a major boost to the country’s aerospace ecosystem, supply chains and skilled employment.
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Strategic Implications
The proposed Rafale acquisition comes amid broader efforts to modernise India’s armed forces and strengthen deterrence capabilities in a complex regional security environment. For the IAF, the deal would help address critical capability gaps, enhance multi-role combat effectiveness and ensure technological parity with regional air forces.
While several procedural steps remain before the contract can be finalised, the defence panel’s approval marks a decisive first milestone. If the deal progresses as expected, it could not only reshape the IAF’s fighter fleet for decades to come but also deepen India–France defence cooperation and advance the country’s long-term goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
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