Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming visit to India, the Indian Air Force is scheduled to pitch its ambitious plan to the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) to purchase 114 more Rafale fighter jets.
The procurement talks will get diplomatic impetus from Macron’s scheduled arrival in New Delhi for an AI Summit on February 15–17, 2026.
The first official step under India’s defence procurement regulations is for the DAC, which is chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to grant Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for this significant purchase.
The plan calls for India to purchase 18 pre-owned Rafale aircraft from French maker Dassault Aviation, with the remaining 96 being built in partnership with Indian private sector companies. For training purposes, a number of these aircraft will be twin-seaters.
Prior to this, the plan was authorized last month by the Defence Procurement Board, which is headed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. This cleared the way for DAC review.
According to the idea, India would buy 18 Rafale jets straight from the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, and the remaining 96 would be made in India in collaboration with private sector companies.
In order to improve IAF pilot preparedness, a number of these aircraft are specifically designed as twin-seaters for training.
This purchase comes after the IAF successfully added 36 Rafale jets to its arsenal, which have demonstrated their combat capabilities.
Notably, these planes were used in Operation Sindoor, India’s counterattacks against Pakistan following the 26-person Pahalgam terror incident.
During the mission, the Rafales successfully destroyed Pakistani military installations, including enemy aircraft, and terror strongholds using advanced weapons such Hammer precision-guided bombs, Meteor air-to-air missiles, and Scalp missiles.
With an estimated cost of ₹3.25 lakh crore, the contract promises to significantly improve India’s aerial combat capability.
Following DAC approval, the procedure moves on to intense business talks before receiving approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet Committee on Security.
In October 2025, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh made a compelling case for this, highlighting the pressing need for 114 multi-role fighters manufactured in India through partnerships with global original equipment manufacturers.
In light of changing regional threats, his call highlighted the Rafale as a leading candidate to quickly modernize the IAF’s dwindling squadrons.
This action is in line with larger initiatives to indigenize defense manufacturing by using the private sector to produce cutting-edge planes in the country.
Building on the initial 36-jet agreement that has already produced operational benefits, the timing, which coincides with Macron’s visit, indicates strengthening Indo-French defense ties.
In light of recent border tensions and cross-border terrorism, India’s resolve to strengthening its air capability would be reaffirmed if the DAC granted AoN.
