By A Correspondent

New Delhi: India and France are moving decisively towards a massive fighter aircraft deal, with New Delhi preparing to order a fresh batch of Rafale jets to plug critical gaps in the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) dwindling combat fleet.

The proposal is expected to gather momentum ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to India next month, underlining the growing strategic depth of Indo-French defence ties, according to Indian media reports on January 10, 2026.

Quoting unnamed senior defence sources, the report said the IAF has already forwarded a proposal to acquire a substantial number of Rafale fighters through a government-to-government (G2G) agreement with France.

Significantly, the deal is expected to include large-scale manufacturing in India, aligning closely with the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ objectives.

While the final number of jets is still under discussion, the IAF has projected a long-term requirement of at least 114 modern multi-role combat aircraft to maintain credible air power.

A separate procurement process for the 114-jet deal is currently underway, in which Rafale is speculated to be the IAF’s choice, apparently due to the existing 36-jet Rafale fleet in the air force.

The acquisition process will require formal clearance by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), followed by detailed cost negotiations and final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Adequate budgetary allocations will also be necessary. India already has a pricing benchmark in place after signing a contract last year for 24 Rafale-M naval variants for the Indian Navy, a deal that strengthens the case for a much larger follow-on order potentially running into tens of billions of euros.

Beyond numbers, the proposed deal carries major industrial and strategic implications. Domestic production of Rafales is expected to bring critical aerospace technologies into India’s defence ecosystem.

In June 2025, Indian company Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) signed agreements with French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to manufacture key sections of the Rafale fuselage in India.

A dedicated facility is being set up in Hyderabad to produce four major fuselage components for both Indian and global Dassault orders, with deliveries expected from FY28 and a capacity of 24 fuselages annually.

The unnamed sources added that ongoing projects, including a jet engine manufacturing facility in Hyderabad and a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, could eventually localise nearly 60% of Rafale manufacturing by value in India, marking a significant leap in India-France defence cooperation.

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