India advances ₹3.25 lakh crore Rafale jet plan, biggest defence procurement yet
News Desk: India has moved forward with a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at an estimated cost of ₹3.25 lakh crore, a decision widely described as the largest defence procurement initiative in the country’s history.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the programme — a key preliminary approval — ahead of the expected visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to New Delhi.
As per media reports citing official sources, 18 of the aircraft will be purchased in fly-away condition from French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation, while the remaining 96 are planned to be produced domestically under a strategic partnership framework. The arrangement is expected to include advanced technology transfer, aligning with the government’s push to expand indigenous defence manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative.
The proposal will now be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for final clearance.
Vice Adm. Shekhar Sinha (Retd) highlights India’s latest defense boost: Rafale jets, P8I maritime aircraft, & high-altitude pseudo satellites. 60% domestic Rafale production strengthens Air Force, naval surveillance & India-France ties.
🔗https://t.co/NmRn9muyJk@shekhar19541… pic.twitter.com/op1Si2IUwR
— DD India (@DDIndialive) February 12, 2026
Part of wider defence approvals
The Rafale plan forms part of a broader package of defence approvals worth about ₹3.60 lakh crore cleared by the DAC across the armed services.
For the IAF, the council also cleared combat missile systems aimed at strengthening long-range precision strike capability, along with an Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) platform designed to provide continuous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, electronic intelligence, telecommunications and remote sensing.
The fighter jet acquisition falls under the Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme intended to enhance the IAF’s ability to maintain air superiority across varied operational scenarios.
Clearances for Army, Navy and Coast Guard
The Army secured approval for procurement of Vibhav anti-tank mines to support defensive obstacle systems against mechanised forces.
The Navy received AoN for a 4 MW marine gas turbine-based electric power generator under the Make-I category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, along with additional P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft to strengthen anti-submarine warfare and surveillance capabilities.
The Indian Coast Guard was cleared to acquire electro-optical and infrared systems for Dornier aircraft to boost maritime monitoring operations.
Rafale fleet expansion
The IAF currently operates 36 Rafale jets in two squadrons, with delivery completed in December 2024. Separately, India has ordered 26 Rafale-M carrier-based aircraft for the Navy in a ₹63,000 crore agreement. These jets are expected to operate from INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, with provisions covering maintenance, logistics and training under a comprehensive support framework.
