The Indian Air Force (IAF) has put forward a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter aircraft at an estimated cost exceeding INR 2 lakh crore. The plan specifies more than 60 percent indigenous content through cooperation between Dassault Aviation and Indian companies such as Tata. If approved, the procurement would raise the Rafale fleet available to Indian forces to 176 aircraft, in addition to 36 already inducted and 36 on order for the Navy.
The acquisition framework follows the strategic partnership model, under which Dassault Aviation would assemble the aircraft in India. Tata has been identified among the industrial partners, and an engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility is proposed in Hyderabad to support the Rafale’s M-88 engines.
Safran Aerospace, which produces the M-88 engines, is playing a central role in these plans. The company has announced the creation of an engine MRO hub in Hyderabad and is working with Indian suppliers to meet localisation requirements. Safran’s recent supplier conferences and related initiatives in India are designed to strengthen the domestic aerospace ecosystem. These steps aim to support the Rafale programme, additional M-88 engine production and servicing, and future Indian fighter projects.
The proposal has been submitted for inter-ministerial assessment, including review by Defence Finance, before consideration by the Defence Procurement Board and subsequently the Defence Acquisition Council.
The Rafale is intended to form part of a broader IAF fleet structure that also includes Su-30MKI aircraft, 180 ordered LCA Mark-1A jets, and an indigenous fifth-generation fighter programme expected after 2035. The Rafales to be produced in India are expected to incorporate extended-range air-to-ground missiles and other capability upgrades compared with those already in service.
If approved, the contract would represent India’s largest defence procurement to date, surpassing the earlier INR 59,000 crore deal for 36 Rafale jets. The agreement is positioned around technology transfer, domestic manufacturing, and supply-chain development.
Dassault Aviation, based in France, designs and manufactures both civil and military aircraft. Its Rafale multirole fighter has been adopted by several air forces and navies. For India, the company previously supplied 36 aircraft manufactured in France.
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