India clears ₹3.6 lakh crore defence purchase, approves procurement of 114 Rafale jets
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France.
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France.
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved a proposal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France.
New Delhi: The defence ministry on Thursday cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from France under a government-to-government framework, nearly 13 years after a similar acquisition was close to being finalised.
In all, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved capital acquisition proposals worth ₹3.6 lakh crore to boost the combat readiness of the armed forces.
The clearance for the Rafale jets comes just four days ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India.
However, a formal contract is unlikely before the end of the year, as the defence ministry must now hold detailed negotiations with Dassault Aviation to finalise the cost and other specifics of the weapons package.
In April 2019, the Indian Air Force issued a Request for Information to procure 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft at an estimated cost of around $18 billion. The programme was described as one of the world’s largest military procurement initiatives in recent years.
Other contenders for the project included Lockheed Martin’s F-21, Boeing’s F/A-18 and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The move comes at a time when the IAF’s fighter squadron strength has fallen to 31 against a sanctioned strength of 42.
Nearly 13 years ago, the defence ministry had completed the groundwork for acquiring a fleet of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, but the project did not materialise.
In 2015, the Modi government announced a government-to-government deal with France for 36 Rafale fighters amid a sharp decline in the IAF’s squadron strength. The IAF currently operates these aircraft.