India has issued a ‘Letter of Request’ (LoR) to France for the purchase of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for a mega defense deal worth approximately Rs 3.25 lakh crore. Under the agreement, 94 out of 114 Rafale aircraft will be manufactured in India, which will give a big boost to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Self-reliant India’. Let us tell you that Air Force Chief AP Singh is currently in France. This visit is taking place at a time when work is going on at a rapid pace between India and France on a possible mega deal for 114 additional Rafale fighter aircraft.
Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal
The Air Force chief will visit the facilities of Dassault Aviation in France, which manufactures Rafale fighter aircraft. He will also inspect the facilities of MBDA, whose missiles are used on many platforms of the Indian Air Force. The visit comes amid the process of India sending a formal Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the purchase of 114 Rafale aircraft. The proposed deal is believed to be worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore. India’s key conditions include integration of indigenous weapons, Indian data link, transfer of technology (ToT) and large-scale manufacturing in India.
Highlights of Rafale deal
- Total 114 Rafale aircraft
- 88 single-seater and 26 twin-seater trainers
- About 96 aircraft may be manufactured in India, while the initial aircraft will come directly from France
- AESA radar, better electronic warfare system and long range missile capabilities will be available.
- Localization is targeted at 55-60%
- Technical cooperation will increase in engine, airframe and avionics sectors.
The largest fighter aircraft purchase in history
This tour is not limited to Rafale purchase only. It is also likely to discuss future defense cooperation, engine technology for the indigenous AMCA programme, aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in India and further strengthening the India-France defense partnership. Let us also tell you that in the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting chaired by the Defense Minister in February 2026, Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was given for the purchase of 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) i.e. Rafale fighter planes for the Indian Air Force. This is considered to be one of the largest fighter aircraft procurement projects in the history of India.
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