France Sends Detailed Rafale Proposal to India as 114-Jet Deal Nears Completion

France has delivered a technical and commercial offer to India for the purchase of 114 Rafale fighters, with a projected cost of about Rs 3.25 lakh crore.

In a significant move toward finalising a 114-aircraft Rafale contract, France has provided India with a comprehensive technical and commercial bid valued at roughly Rs 3.25 lakh crore. The proposal is being examined by India's defence ministry and the Indian Air Force, which will verify if it meets Delhi's demand to integrate home-grown Astra air-to-air missiles. Successful clearance will trigger cost negotiations, after which the Cabinet Committee on Security is expected to endorse the deal.

The agreement, to be signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron, envisions 94 jets built in India under a partnership with Dassault Aviation and the Make-in-India programme, with the remainder delivered directly from France. The deal would raise India's Rafale fleet to potentially over 200 aircraft, addressing a shortfall that has reduced operational squadrons to 29 from the ideal 42.5.