DAC approves 114 Rafale jets from France for IAF; 90 to be manufactured in India

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday (February 12) approved a major proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter aircraft from France for the Indian Air Force (IAF) through an inter-governmental agreement. Of these, 90 jets are expected to be produced in India, according to reports. The decision comes just ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to India, scheduled from February 17 to 19.

Chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the DAC also sanctioned the acquisition of six additional P-8I maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for the Indian Navy from the United States. In an official statement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that the council granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for multiple defence projects amounting to approximately Rs 3.60 lakh crore. Besides the Rafale jets and P-8I aircraft, approvals were also granted for combat missile systems and Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) platforms.

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Under the proposed arrangement, 18 Rafale aircraft will be delivered directly by Dassault Aviation in flyaway condition, while the remaining 96 will be manufactured domestically. Reports suggest that the indigenous content requirement, initially discussed at 30 per cent, has now been increased to nearly 50 per cent following commercial negotiations.

India will also retain complete freedom to integrate locally developed weapons and systems into the aircraft. The proposal must now receive final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before the deal is formally concluded. Currently, the IAF operates 36 Rafale fighter jets. Additionally, the Indian Navy has ordered 26 Rafale-M variants for deployment on aircraft carriers. Once the new acquisition is completed, India’s total Rafale fleet is expected to reach 176 aircraft, improving operational efficiency while reducing training and logistical overheads.