New Delhi: In a major boost to India’s air power, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF), defence sources told India Today TV.
The clearance of the mega ₹3.25 lakh crore deal comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India later this month.The DAC accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the multi-billion-dollar programme, paving the way for the next stage of formal negotiations with French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.
The Defence Procurement Board, chaired by the Defence Secretary, had cleared the proposal last month.Valued at approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore, the acquisition is among the largest fighter aircraft deals in India’s history.
The move is expected to significantly bolster the IAF’s combat capabilities at a time when the force is operating with around 29 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42, amid heightened security challenges along the western and northern borders.
Under the approved plan, 18 aircraft will be delivered in fly-away condition, while the remaining 96 will be assembled in India. Nearly 80 per cent of the total fleet is expected to be manufactured domestically, with indigenous content projected to reach up to 60 per cent under the government’s Make in India initiative.
The IAF is set to induct 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat variants. Dassault Aviation is likely to partner with Indian private sector firms for manufacturing, assembly, and lifecycle support, providing a significant impetus to India’s domestic defence production ecosystem.India inducted its first batch of five Rafale jets at Air Force Station Ambala in July 2020.
The IAF currently operates two Rafale squadrons — No. 17 “Golden Arrows” based in Ambala, Haryana, and No. 101 “Falcons” stationed at Hasimara in West Bengal, the latter commissioned in July 2021.
