India is edging closer to approving a major new acquisition of Rafale fighter jets as New Delhi prepares for a high-profile visit by French President Emmanuel Macron next month, according to senior officials familiar with the deliberations. The proposed deal, which could rank among India’s largest combat aircraft procurements in recent years, would significantly expand the Indian Air Force’s Rafale fleet while deepening defence-industrial cooperation between India and France.
Air Force leadership has submitted a formal proposal to the government seeking approval to purchase what officials described as a “substantial” number of additional Rafale fighters through a government-to-government framework. While the precise number of aircraft is still under discussion, the Indian Air Force has repeatedly stated that it needs at least 114 modern multirole fighters to arrest a steady decline in squadron strength and replace aging Soviet-era platforms approaching the end of their service lives.
The procurement process remains at an early but critical stage. Officials said the proposal must first be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council, the top body overseeing military purchases, before moving to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final approval. Beyond political clearance, the project will also hinge on budgetary commitments, with dedicated funding expected to be sought in the upcoming national budget. If approved, the deal could be worth several billion euros, reflecting both the scale of the order and the associated industrial investments.
India’s most recent Rafale contract, signed last year for 24 naval variants intended for aircraft carrier operations, is expected to serve as a pricing reference point for the new negotiations. That agreement marked the first time India opted for a carrier-capable version of the French fighter and reinforced the aircraft’s growing role across both the Air Force and Navy. Defence officials say lessons learned from that deal — including cost structures, delivery schedules and support arrangements — are now informing talks on the much larger Air Force requirement.
A defining feature of the proposed agreement is local manufacturing, which New Delhi views as essential to both strategic autonomy and long-term affordability. In June last year, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Dassault Aviation signed a partnership to manufacture Rafale airframes in India. Under that arrangement, Tata is constructing a dedicated production facility in Hyderabad that will produce key airframe structures for Indian orders as well as for Dassault’s global supply chain.
The Hyderabad facility is expected to begin delivering its first components before the 2028 fiscal year, with plans to scale up to an annual output equivalent to 24 aircraft. Indian officials say this capacity would allow the country not only to meet domestic requirements over time but also to position itself as an integral node in Dassault’s worldwide manufacturing network. For New Delhi, the arrangement aligns closely with its broader “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on imports.
Beyond airframes, several complementary projects are advancing in parallel. Officials pointed to plans for an engine manufacturing plant in Hyderabad and a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, as key elements of the broader industrial package. Taken together, these initiatives could bring as much as 60 percent of the Rafale’s manufacturing value chain into India, a level of localization that would mark a significant shift from previous fighter acquisitions.
Dassault Aviation’s existing production commitments are also shaping the timeline under consideration. The French manufacturer currently has a substantial backlog of Rafale orders, covering both the French armed forces and multiple export customers. Deliveries in recent years have gone to countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and new orders continue to be signed. Indian planners are factoring this global demand into schedules for domestic production, seeking assurances that local assembly will proceed without delays once approvals are granted.
For the Indian Air Force, the stakes are high. The service’s fighter squadron strength has fallen well below its sanctioned level, even as regional security challenges intensify. Senior officers argue that timely induction of additional Rafales would help stabilize the fleet and provide a qualitative edge, particularly given the aircraft’s proven performance, advanced sensors and integration with Indian-specific weapons and systems. Having the aircraft built in India is also seen as critical to ensuring steady availability, upgrades and sustainment over several decades.
The Rafale already occupies a central place in India’s combat aviation plans following the induction of earlier batches. Those aircraft have been deployed at key bases and integrated into frontline roles, reinforcing confidence within the Air Force leadership. Officials say expanding the fleet through local manufacturing would allow India to standardize training, logistics and maintenance while reducing long-term lifecycle costs.
The accelerating negotiations come amid a broader push to deepen strategic and industrial ties with France. Cooperation now spans aircraft, engines, helicopters, submarines and space systems, reflecting a defence relationship that has grown steadily over the past two decades. Macron’s forthcoming visit is expected to feature extensive discussions on defence and technology cooperation, and officials believe it could provide crucial political momentum to advance the Rafale deal.
While no final decision has yet been announced, senior officials indicated that the convergence of operational necessity, industrial readiness and diplomatic engagement has created a favorable environment for progress. If approved, the agreement would not only reshape the Indian Air Force’s future fleet but also mark a major milestone in India’s ambition to become a global hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing.
