India’s next batch of Rafale fighter jets, slated to be manufactured locally, is expected to enter service in a distinctive “F4 Plus” configuration that goes beyond the baseline F4 standard currently being inducted by the French Air and Space Force. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the Indian variant will feature a sovereign, India-specific digital architecture designed to ensure complete operational and data independence for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Dassault Aviation has described the Rafale F4 as a major generational upgrade, enhancing the aircraft’s network-centric warfare capabilities and survivability in contested environments. However, New Delhi is pursuing a bespoke version tailored to its own operational doctrine and strategic requirements. Unlike the French configuration, the Indian “F4 Plus” is intended to integrate seamlessly with indigenous command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems already in service with the IAF.
The move aligns with reports that India is negotiating a government-to-government deal for 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA). That package could include a mix of locally produced Rafale F4 Plus jets and a smaller number of the future F5 variant, often referred to as the “Super Rafale,” which is expected to introduce deeper man–machine teaming and unmanned systems integration later in the decade.
At the heart of the F4 Plus concept is the integration of sovereign Indian secure data links. These indigenous communication systems would allow Rafale fighters to exchange real-time tactical data with Indian platforms such as the Netra and Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), ground-based air defence radars, and the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS). The ability to transmit high-resolution targeting data and fused battlefield intelligence directly to Indian controllers would significantly improve situational awareness and compress the “sensor-to-shooter” loop—an increasingly decisive factor in modern air combat.
Achieving this level of interoperability is technically demanding. To accommodate Indian secure data links and indigenous weapons such as the Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Dassault Aviation would need to modify the Rafale’s mission computers and open specific portions of its avionics architecture. This requires deep integration within the aircraft’s sensor fusion engine and close collaboration on software-defined avionics—an area typically guarded by strict intellectual property controls.
For India, however, digital sovereignty is central to its long-term defence strategy. By controlling the data architecture of its frontline fighters, the IAF aims to ensure that combat operations remain immune to external restrictions, software locks, or foreign-controlled electronic gateways. This autonomy is considered critical given the persistent tensions along India’s northern and western borders, where access to uninterrupted, secure combat data could prove decisive.
The baseline Rafale F4 standard already introduces substantial enhancements. These include the RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with improved detection ranges and electronic counter-countermeasures, the CONTACT software-defined radio for resilient communications, and an upgraded SPECTRA electronic warfare suite. Together, these systems create a sophisticated “defensive bubble” capable of detecting, jamming, and deceiving enemy radars and surface-to-air missile systems.
The F4 standard also expands the Rafale’s weapons portfolio, enabling full operational use of the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile and extended-range precision strike weapons such as SCALP and HAMMER. Enhanced satellite communication links further allow the aircraft to function as a high-speed node in a joint, multi-domain network spanning air, land, and maritime forces.
Looking ahead, the Rafale roadmap places increasing emphasis on artificial intelligence. Both the F4 Plus and future F5 variants are expected to incorporate AI-driven decision-support tools to help pilots manage vast volumes of sensor data in high-intensity combat. These systems will assist in threat prioritisation, sensor fusion, and tactical recommendations, reducing cognitive workload and accelerating decision-making.
For India’s defence establishment, the transition to a Rafale F4 Plus configuration represents more than a technical upgrade. It signals a strategic shift toward a digitally sovereign combat ecosystem, in which locally produced fighters operate in lockstep with indigenous surveillance platforms, networks, and satellites. If local production proceeds as anticipated, Indian-built Rafales would be the first in the world to field this specific “Plus” standard—setting a new benchmark for how 4.5-generation fighters can be adapted for the demands of fifth-generation digital warfare.
