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India to Build Rafale Jets Locally: First Production Outside France

The Defence Acquisition Council has approved the procurement of 114 Rafale Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh stated this marks the first time Rafale jets will be manufactured outside France, with 40-50% localisation under the Make in India initiative. The program is a government-to-government agreement ensuring transparency and will allow integration of Indian weapons and systems. The first Rafale Marine variants are expected to arrive in 2028, with Air Force versions following approximately three and a half years later.

Key Points: India to Manufacture Rafale Jets with 40-50% Localisation

  • First Rafale production outside France
  • 40-50% Make in India localisation
  • Govt-to-govt deal with full transparency
  • Integration of Indian weapons systems
  • First jets to arrive from 2028
2 min read

"First time Rafale will be built outside France with major localisation": Defence Secretary in DAC's nod for 114 jets

Defence Secretary confirms 114 Rafale jets will be built in India under Make in India, marking first production outside France with major localisation.

"For the first time, Rafale aircraft will be manufactured outside France with significant levels of localisation. - Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh"

By Ajit Dubey, New Delhi, February 13

Following the Defence Acquisition Council's nod to the proposal to buy 114 Rafale Fighter Jets, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Friday said that this would be the first time that the Rafale would be manufactured outside France with 40 to 50 per cent localisation under the 'Make in India' programme.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Singh said the programme is being implemented through a government-to-government agreement with no intermediaries and full transparency. He added that it will allow the integration of Indian weapons and systems on the aircraft, which he described as a key feature of the project.

"For the first time, Rafale aircraft will be manufactured outside France with significant levels of localisation. We are seeking a minimum of 40 to 50 per cent... The first time 'Make in India,' Rafael outside France backed up by a government-to-government agreement, no intermediaries, full transparency in the project itself, government to government, significant levels of localisation, and full authority to integrate Indian weapons and Indian systems are the highlights of this program," Singh said.

"It also enables us to induct fighter aircraft relatively quickly because the first of the Rafale Marines will start coming in '28, and after that, over a period of time, you will see that about three and a half years from now, the first of these Air Force Rafales will also start coming," Singh added.

This comes after the Defence Acquisition Council, under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to various service proposals at an estimated value of about Rs 3.60 lakh crore.

For the Indian Air Force (IAF), AoN was approved for the procurement of Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) {Rafale}, Combat Missiles, and Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS).

According to the Ministry of Defence, the procurement of MRFA will enhance the IAF's capability to undertake air-dominance roles across the spectrum of conflict and significantly boost its deterrence with long-range offensive strikes.

The majority of the MRFA to be procured will be manufactured in India. The Combat Missiles will enhance the stand-off ground-attack capability with deep-strike power and very high accuracy. The AS-HAPS will be utilised for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Electronic Intelligence, telecommunications, and remote sensing for military purposes.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the strategic need is clear, I hope the localisation promise is real this time. We've heard "Make in India" before with other defence deals, but the actual technology transfer and indigenous content often fall short. The government-to-government route is good for transparency though.
R
Rohit P
Integrating Indian weapons and systems is the key highlight for me. This means our Astra missiles, smart bombs, and maybe even our own radar tech can be used. This makes the Rafale truly 'Indianised' and reduces dependency for future upgrades. Great move!
S
Sarah B
As someone following global defence, this is a significant vote of confidence in India's industrial capability by France. Building such advanced fighters outside their home country for the first time is a big deal. It positions India as a serious defence manufacturing hub.
V
Vikram M
The timeline is crucial. First Rafale Marine by 2028 and Air Force versions 3.5 years later? IAF's squadron numbers are depleting fast. We need these birds in the sky yesterday given the security scenario. Hope there are no delays.
K
Karthik V
Rs 3.60 lakh crore is an eye-watering amount. The common taxpayer deserves to know the detailed cost breakdown and how this expenditure is justified compared to accelerating our own Tejas Mk2 and AMCA projects. Self-reliance is the ultimate goal.

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