India plans to increase orders for French Rafale fighter jets.
According to La Tribune, in addition to the 114 aircraft planned under the MRFA program, India intends to purchase 31 carrier-based fighters for deployment on its aircraft carriers.
If the contract is finalized, the total number of Rafale jets ordered by India will increase to 145.
For Dassault Aviation and India, this would represent a strategic milestone.
In addition to the 36 aircraft contracted by India’s Ministry of Defence in 2016, the country ordered 26 new Rafale M fighters for the Navy in 2025.
In September 2016, the governments of India and France signed an intergovernmental agreement for the supply of 36 multirole fighter jets.
The value of that contract amounted to €7.87 billion. Dassault Aviation has already completed delivery of the entire batch, enabling the Indian Air Force to form two full squadrons.
The procurement is primarily a political choice by New Delhi. France’s Dassault Aviation, together with India’s defense industry, is implementing a production localization program.
Who Will Produce Rafale in India
The key Indian partner is the private company Reliance Defence, which is part of the joint venture Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL). The production facilities are located in Nagpur.
At the initial stage, the Indian side will focus on manufacturing fuselages and airframe components.
France is also involving the state-owned corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in maintenance operations and the future integration of Indian weapons systems.
In addition, France is granting India exclusive rights to manufacture certain components and precision-guided weapons.
In particular, Indian enterprises will begin producing modular AASM Hammer (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire) aerial bombs.
Previously, these munitions were manufactured exclusively by the French company Safran Electronics & Defense.
