Giving a major boost to India’s air power, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has granted initial approval for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft.
- The deal, estimated at ₹3.25 lakh crore, has come ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India starting 17 February 2026. This purchase is expected to further strengthen India-France defence relations.
- Approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will be required before signing the final agreement.
- Under the approved framework, India will procure 114 Rafale aircraft, of which 18 jets will be delivered in fly-away condition and the rest will be manufactured in the country.
- Under the Make in India initiative, around 90 aircraft of the fleet are expected to be built in India.
India’s Rafale fleet to reach 176 aircraft
- With this agreement, India’s Rafale fleet will reach 176 aircraft, including 36 Rafales already in service with the Indian Air Force and 26 Rafale-M jets ordered by the Navy for carrier operations.
- India had earlier signed a deal for 36 Rafale jets in 2016. The first five aircraft arrived at Air Force Station Ambala in July 2020 and were later officially inducted.
- Currently, the IAF operates two Rafale squadrons — No. 17 “Golden Arrows” based at Ambala, Haryana, and No. 101 “Falcons” based at Hasimara, West Bengal. The Hasimara squadron was officially commissioned in July 2021.
About Rafale
- It is designed by France’s Dassault Aviation company. It is a 4.5 Generation fighter aircraft.
- It is powered by 2 SNECMA M88 turbofan engines, which provide 50 kN dry thrust and 75 kN with afterburner. It has supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburner) capability.
- The Meteor Missile, SCALP Cruise Missile and MICA Missile System equipped in the Rafale fighter aircraft make it highly significant from a security perspective.
- Rafale can fly at a speed of 2,222.6 kilometres per hour and at an altitude of up to 50,000 feet.
- The fighter aircraft is approximately 15.27 metres long and can carry 9,500 kilograms of bombs and ammunition at a time.
- Rafale has an excellent aerodynamic design with optimum wing loading, low drag and relaxed stability for better manoeuvrability. The delta wing configuration provides a high lift-to-drag ratio.
Rafale variants
- Rafale C: Single-seat Air Force variant with 75% fleet availability, designed for high mission reliability.
- Rafale B: Twin-seat variant for training and enhanced situational awareness. It retains the combat capability of the C model.
- Rafale M: This naval variant is optimized for carrier operations, with reinforced nose and tail and specially designed landing gear. It equips the French Navy’s aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.
- Rafale N is a dedicated nuclear strike variant, while Rafale R is reserved for technology development.
