Defence Board Clears 114 Rafale Jet Proposal Worth ₹3.25 Lakh Crore

New Delhi: The Indian Defence Procurement Board, headed by defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, has reportedly cleared a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation.

The proposal will now be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence minister Rajnath Singh. The final approval will be required from the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The clearance by the Defence Procurement Board marks the first formal step towards finalising the mega deal for the Indian Air Force, which is expected to be India’s largest-ever defence acquisition, valued at around `3.25 lakh crore.

The deal could be formally announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in February, when he is scheduled to attend the AI Impact Summit on February 19 and 20.

Under the proposal, most of the fighter jets will be manufactured in India with an indigenous content of about 30 per cent, while around 12 to 18 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from France. India is also seeking integration of indigenous weapons on the Rafale platforms, though the source code is expected to remain with France.

India has opted for the 4.5-generation Rafale fighters despite offers of fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-35 from the US and the Su-57 from Russia.

The move comes at a time when the Indian Air Force’s squadron strength has fallen to a historic low of 29 against a sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons. The induction of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A, intended to replace the retired MiG-21 fleet, has also faced delays.

The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale jets, while the Indian Navy has placed orders for 26 Rafale-M aircraft under a government-to-government agreement.