India clears purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets
New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale multirole fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force as part of a deal estimated at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore.
According to sources, the proposal marks one of the largest defence acquisition programmes undertaken by India and is being described as significantly bigger than previous military hardware contracts.
Inside the 3 billion deal
The DAC meeting also cleared the purchase of six additional P-8I maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for the Indian Navy from the United States. The proposed deal for the aircraft is expected to be worth approximately USD 3 billion.
In addition, the Council approved the procurement of a significant number of SCALP cruise missiles from France for the Indian Air Force’s existing Rafale fleet. These long-range precision strike missiles are intended to enhance the operational capability of the aircraft.
The meeting further considered the procurement of missiles for the Sudarshan long-range air defence system, including additional requirements linked to the S-400 air defence platform. The tender for these missiles is expected to be issued to Russian government agencies under the framework of intergovernmental agreements signed between India and Russia.
A major indigenous proposal was also taken up during the meeting, involving the acquisition of around one lakh Vibhav point attack anti-tank mines developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The project aims to strengthen India’s domestic defence manufacturing capability while enhancing the Indian Army’s combat readiness.
India’s plan to acquire 114 Rafale jets from France is intended to address the Indian Air Force’s squadron strength requirements and modernisation goals. The proposed contract would be considerably larger than the earlier Rafale deal signed for 36 aircraft.
The DAC meeting also reviewed multiple proposals related to the overhaul and modernisation of the Indian Army’s armoured vehicle fleet, as part of broader efforts to upgrade land warfare capabilities.
The approvals signal a comprehensive push to strengthen India’s air power, maritime surveillance capacity, missile systems and indigenous defence production under the government’s modernisation roadmap.