Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Delhi, good news has come about the mega-deal between India and France regarding Rafale fighter jet. On Thursday (12 February 2026), the Defense Ministry has approved 114 Make in India Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The total value of this deal for French fighter planes to be manufactured in India will be around Rs 3.25 lakh crore, which is one of the largest defense deals in the world so far. This deal has been approved in the important meeting of the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC).
Defense Ministry had given green signal to the proposal
Last month, the Defense Procurement Board of the Defense Ministry had given the green signal to this proposal of the Air Force, which is the first step in any defense deal. After DAC, this project (proposal) will go to the Finance Ministry and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by the Prime Minister. In such a situation, it is very possible that out of these 114 Rafale fighter jets, 16 can be purchased directly from France. With these 114 Rafale fighter jets, 5-6 squadrons of the Air Force can be raised. There are 18-20 fighter aircraft in a squadron of the Indian Air Force. It is believed that an important decision regarding this deal may be taken during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India next week (17-19 February). Like the previous two Rafale fighter jet deals, this too is going to be a G2G i.e. Government to Government deal.
Indian Air Force proposed to make fighter jet
In the year 2016, India had decided to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft directly from France, its total cost was about Rs 59 thousand crores. In April last year, India had signed an agreement to purchase the marine version of Rafale fighter planes i.e. Rafale (M) for the Navy. These Rafale (M) fighter planes will be deployed on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. In view of the decreasing squadron, the Indian Air Force had submitted a proposal to the Defense Ministry to manufacture 114 Rafale fighter jets in the country. Like the previous Rafale deal, this deal will also be a G2G i.e. Government to Government agreement. After the agreement, French company Dassault (Dassault), which manufactures Rafale, will set up a manufacturing plant in India along with an indigenous company. The indigenous Rafale fighter jet to be manufactured in India will have about 60 percent indigenous weapons and equipment.
Considering the operational capabilities of the existing Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, it was decided to manufacture French fighter aircraft under Make in India. On Wednesday, Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor had described Rafale as the hero of Operation Sindoor. The Vice Chief had expressed hope about more number of Rafale in the Air Force. To avenge the Pahalgam massacre, during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force had used Rafale fighter jet to destroy the headquarters of terrorist organizations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed operating from Pakistan.
Use of 36 Rafale fighter jets
The 36 Rafale fighter jets currently used by the Indian Air Force have been equipped with Meteor, Mica and Scalp missiles. These are all French missiles. But Make in India Rafale fighter jet can also be equipped with missiles made in India. If this 114 Rafale project gets approval from the government, then the old MRFA i.e. Medium Weight Fighter Jet project of the Air Force will be put on hold. In the MRFA project also, 114 fighter jets were to be made in India. But different foreign aviation companies could participate in the tender process (including Dassault). But the current deal will be directly between the governments of India and France.
Deal for 26 marine versions of Rafale
It is noteworthy that in the month of April this year itself, India had also signed a deal with France for 26 marine versions of Rafale for the Navy, the price of which was about Rs 63 thousand crores. These Rafale (M) aircraft are being purchased to be deployed on the Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
