India-France Rafale jet deals: The Indian Air Force is moving very fast to buy 114 more Rafale fighter jets. New reports say India and France are very close to finalising a big government-to-government deal. This deal could avoid long delays that usually come with global defence tenders. The main goal is to quickly improve India’s air power and fix the shortage of fighter squadrons.
Right now the Air Force has around 30 squadrons, which is far below the approved strength of 42. Officials feel that starting a fresh tender under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft program could take many years just for testing and paperwork. Because of this, senior officers support a direct deal with France similar to the 2016 Rafale agreement. This route can save time and help the Air Force get new jets faster.
The expected visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India next month is seen as very important. Top leaders from both countries are likely to give strong support to the plan. This could allow formal talks to begin by the middle of the year.
Rafale Jets likely to be Built in India
A big part of this deal focuses on building the jets inside India. The plan follows the Make in India idea. The Rafale jets may be produced at the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited factory in Nagpur. The big changes may happen at this plant. Sources say Dassault Aviation wants to buy the full stake from Reliance Defence, which is linked to Anil Ambani.
If the Ministry of Defence approves this move, Dassault will fully control the factory. The plant will then get major upgrades so it can handle full fighter jet production. Around 60 % of the aircraft parts will be made in India. This includes full airframes, which is a big step in technology sharing.
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New Rafale Versions
The new Rafale jets are expected to include the latest F4 version and the future F5 version. The F4 standard already serves with the French Air Force. It has better sensors, improved radar, the Thales Scorpion helmet system, and advanced weapons like the 1,000 kg AASM Hammer bomb. It also allows better data sharing during missions.
The F5 version will come later and will focus on future warfare. It will support teamwork between fighter jets and drones. It can control unmanned systems like the nEUROn drone and carry out deep strike missions.
