Govt thumbs up for 114 Rafale jet plan
- 90 to be made in India with 50% indigenous content
- DAC clears biggest arms deal for Rs 3.60 lakh crore
New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared the long-awaited proposal to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets from France under an inter-governmental deal for the Indian Air Force (IAF), of which 90 jets would be manufactured in India, sources said.
The clearance comes days before French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to India between February 17 and 19. The DAC, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has also cleared the procurement of six additional P8I maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the US for the Navy. Top officials said that plans are to manufacture 90 of the 114 Rafale fighter jets domestically, with close to 50 per cent indigenous content.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for multiple proposals for an estimated Rs 3.60 lakh crore. Aside from the Rafale fighter jets and the P8I aircraft, AoN was approved for the procurement of Combat Missiles and Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS).
Earlier, an indigenous content of 30 per cent was discussed for the jets that were to be manufactured in India. However, officials said Thursday that in the subsequent commercial negotiations, it would be raised to nearly 50 per cent. Additionally, India will have the full authority to integrate Indian weapons and systems into the aircraft.
A final agreement will be signed once commercial negotiations conclude and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approves the acquisition. The IAF already operates 36 Rafales, and the Indian Navy would be inducting 26 Rafale M aircraft for carrier operations over the next few years. The procurement of additional Rafales will thus help minimise logistical and training costs.
The modern combat jets will be critical in filling the gap in the IAF’s fighter squadron strength, which stands at 29 at present, against the sanctioned squadron strength of 42. They will bridge this capability gap till India’s indigenous fighter jet programmes — such as LCA Mk1 A, LCA Mk 2, and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) — mature.
