DELHI: In a significant move to strengthen its military capabilities, India has cleared the proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework from France. This decision, announced by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, comes nearly 13 years after India first attempted a similar acquisition. The total military hardware acquisition package is worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore and aims to enhance the combat readiness of the country's defense forces.

The approval arrives just four days before French President Emmanuel Macron's scheduled visit to India. However, the actual contract for the procurement is unlikely to be finalized before the year’s end, as negotiations with Dassault Aviation will need to be conducted to settle on costs and the specifics of the weaponry involved. The Indian Air Force first issued a Request for Information (RFI) for 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) in April 2019, with an estimated cost of around USD 18 billion. This procurement is touted as one of the largest military acquisition programs globally in recent years, with competitors including Lockheed Martin's F-21, Boeing's F/A-18, and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

This latest procurement decision comes at a crucial time, as the number of operational fighter squadrons in the Indian Air Force has dwindled to 31, significantly below the sanctioned capacity of 42. The groundwork for acquiring a fleet of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) was laid over a decade ago but did not materialize. In 2015, the Modi government shifted focus and announced a government-to-government deal for 36 Rafale jets, responding to the urgent need to bolster the Indian Air Force amidst diminishing squadron strength. Currently, the air force is operationally using these Rafale jets, further underscoring the strategic importance of expanding their fleet.