Overview
- Officials have finalised a government-to-government Letter of Request for 114 Rafale jets and plan to send it to France very soon to start formal talks.
- About 90 of the 114 fighters are proposed to be manufactured in India through a Dassault‑Indian partner arrangement with roughly 50% indigenous content.
- India is negotiating Interface Control Documents to allow integration of domestic weapons such as the Astra missile and BrahMos-NG while full access to Rafale source code is not expected.
- The government aims to sign a contract by the end of the year after France replies with price and availability, commercial negotiations conclude, and the Cabinet Committee on Security gives approval.
- The order is designed to plug the IAF’s immediate squadron gap and cut training and logistics costs as long-term indigenous projects like the AMCA progress toward service after 2035.