Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 27: France is expected to give its official response to India's Letter of Request (LoR) for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft by mid-August, paving the way for formal negotiations between the two countries.
India had submitted the LoR to France in May to initiate discussions for a government-to-government deal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). French authorities have sought time until mid-August to respond, according to reports.
Once France submits its response, New Delhi and Paris are expected to begin negotiations on the proposed deal.
Under the proposal, 94 of the 114 aircraft would be manufactured in India by Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company, providing a major boost to the country's domestic aerospace manufacturing sector under the 'Make in India' initiative.
The acquisition is considered critical for the IAF as its fighter squadron strength has been steadily declining due to the retirement of ageing aircraft, including several variants of the Russian-origin MiG fighters, and delays in the induction of indigenous platforms such as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A and the upcoming LCA Mark 2.
The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy have already placed orders for a total of 62 Rafale fighter jets. If the proposed deal for 114 aircraft is finalised, India's Rafale fleet will increase to 176 aircraft.
The Indian Navy has also expressed interest in acquiring an additional 31 Rafale-M fighter jets for carrier-based operations, which could take India's total Rafale inventory beyond 200 aircraft.
The proposal forms part of the Defence Ministry's broader plan to strengthen the Indian Air Force's combat capability. Following the appointment of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in 2024, the ministry carried out a comprehensive review of the IAF's operational requirements.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets more than four months ago, clearing the way for the next phase of negotiations.
Last month, France also indicated that it was willing to facilitate the transfer of technology for the Rafale programme and support the integration of Indian-developed weapons and systems onto the aircraft. French officials have said that the 'Make in India' initiative would be a key component of the proposed agreement.