India has formally issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the procurement of 114 Rafale Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) under an inter-governmental framework, valued at approximately Rs 3.25 lakh crore, marking a significant milestone in what is set to be the largest defence aviation procurement in India's history, said the Ministry of Defence.
Under the procurement model, 22 jets including twin-seater trainer versions will be delivered directly from France in fly-away condition, while the remaining 92 fighters will be built on Indian soil through a strategic partnership between Dassault Aviation and a domestic private-sector defence firm. India is expected to become the first country outside France to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft domestically, deepening defence-industrial cooperation and expanding long-term aerospace manufacturing capabilities within the country.
The development comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to France in June 2026, with a government-to-government framework agreement strongly anticipated to be announced during the visit. If the agreement is finalised by end-2026, delivery of the first batch of fly-away aircraft is projected between 2029 and 2030, with deliveries of India-manufactured aircraft beginning in later phases as domestic production facilities achieve operational capability.
The LoR signals serious intent but does not constitute a finalised deal, it marks the beginning of preliminary discussions rather than the signing of a contract. Following commercial and technical negotiations, the programme will proceed for approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before final contract signature.
The contract was earlier delayed amid a dispute over software control and system access, with France declining to hand over the Rafale's source code — a sticking point that India has pushed to resolve as part of its broader demand for a comprehensive transfer of technology (ToT). Dassault Aviation has confirmed it aims to finalise the contract within 2026, with the company currently delivering approximately 28 aircraft annually and gradually scaling production toward a target rate of four aircraft per month.
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale jets and is grappling with a sharp squadron shortfall, operating roughly 29 squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42. The 114-jet MRFA programme is seen as critical to plugging this gap, with older MiG fleets continuing to retire. The Rafales already in service were deployed during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, and have also flown missions in Ladakh. |
