Overview

• The Indian Air Force has submitted a proposal to the Defence Ministry to procure 114 Rafale fighters to be built in India, a project estimated at over ₹2 lakh crore now entering inter-departmental review before Defence Procurement Board and Defence Acquisition Council consideration.
• Under the proposal, Dassault would partner Indian aerospace firms with reported indigenous content exceeding 60 percent and plans for an M88 engine maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Hyderabad.
• India and the United States are described as close to finalizing a roughly $4 billion deal for six additional P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, with a U.S. delegation slated to visit Delhi on 16–19 September including officials from DoD, Boeing, NIPO, PMA-290 and DSCA.
• The Indian Navy operates 12 P-8Is and seeks six more to strengthen long-range surveillance and anti-submarine warfare in the Indian Ocean Region, while 31 MQ-9B drones are planned to be fielded by 2029 for real-time monitoring.
• HAL’s Tejas Mk1A deliveries to the Air Force are scheduled to start in October 2025, with HAL moving to outsource fighter module assembly to domestic private firms as talks with GE are reported to include about 80 percent engine technology transfer.