India set to build 114 Rafale Jets in Rs 2 lakh crore deal

A landmark India-France G2G deal will see 114 Rafale jets built domestically, boosting defense self-reliance, technology, and Air Force strength under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has submitted an important proposal to the Ministry of Defense, keeping in mind its declining squadron numbers. Under this proposal, 114 Rafale fighter jets are planned to be manufactured in India at a cost of about Rs 2 lakh crore.

If this project gets approval from the government, it will become the biggest defense deal in the history of India.

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Possible G2G agreement between India and France

This project will be executed between India and France at the "Government to Government" (G2G) level. France's leading fighter jet manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, will set up a manufacturing plant in India in collaboration with an indigenous company, where Rafale aircraft will be manufactured.

Step towards self-reliance under Make in India

The special thing about this deal is that about 60% indigenous equipment and weapons will be installed in the Rafale fighter jets to be made in India. That is, using Indian technology and resources in these aircraft will be a major initiative towards making the country self-reliant in the defense sector.

Role of Rafale in Operation Sindoor

During the recent "Operation Sindoor," India used Rafale fighter jets to attack terrorist bases in Pakistan. This operation was carried out to avenge the Pahalgam massacre, in which the bases of terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed were targeted.

How many Rafales does India have at present?

In the year 2016, India had signed an agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France. All these aircraft have now joined the fleet of the Indian Air Force and have been equipped with advanced French missiles like Meteor, Mica, and Scalp.

Swadeshi Rafale will have Indian weapons.

Now when these aircraft are made in India, missiles and weapons made in India will also be included in them. This will not only reduce the cost but will also strengthen India's defense manufacturing capacity.

Process and permissions

This mega deal will have to go through several levels to get approval, including:

• Ministry of Finance
• Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)
• Apex Committee of the Ministry of Defense
• Defense Procurement Council (DPC)

It is likely that some of these 114 aircraft can be purchased directly from France, while the rest will be manufactured in India.

Increase in squadron number

114 Rafale aircraft will help the Indian Air Force to set up about 5-6 squadrons. A squadron usually consists of 18-20 fighter aircraft.

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Impact on MRFA project

Due to this deal, the old MRFA (Medium Raft Fighter Aircraft) project may be shelved. There was also a plan to make 114 fighter aircraft under the MRFA project, but it would have involved various foreign companies through the tender process. Whereas the new deal will be directly between France and the Government of India.

Rafale for the Navy too

Earlier in April 2025, India had signed an agreement to buy 26 marine version Rafale (Rafale-M) from France, which will be deployed on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

The manufacture of 114 Rafale fighter jets in India is not just a defense deal but a revolutionary step towards the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. This will greatly strengthen India's security capabilities, technology, and industrial base.