India’s defence ministry is believed to have finalised a Letter of Request to France for 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, reviving a procurement process that began nearly two decades ago and was repeatedly altered, delayed and scaled back. The proposed purchase falls under the rebranded Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft programme, which replaces the earlier Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft tender that once aimed to buy 126 Rafales. According to the report, the Letter of Request is expected to be sent soon as part of an inter-governmental agreement, after which France would respond and the ministry would move to a formal request for proposal, commercial negotiations and final Cabinet Committee on Security approval.
The new proposal is structurally different from the earlier plan. Under the current model, 90 of the 114 aircraft are expected to be built in India through a partnership between Dassault Aviation and a domestic strategic partner, while 24 would be delivered in flyaway condition. The Defence Acquisition Council had already approved the overall framework in February, officially restarting the Rafale procurement process through the government-to-government route.
The article argues that the new plan reflects a striking reversal in cost and ambition. The earlier 126-aircraft deal was estimated at $10–12 billion and included major technology transfer and licensed production at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The present 114-aircraft proposal is now being described as a roughly $40 billion programme, even though it involves fewer jets and a less clearly defined industrial structure. Industry sources cited in the report say the estimate does not include weapons, infrastructure or training support, which would add further costs.
The decision path has also drawn criticism from defence veterans, who see the current process as a return to a solution that India had already abandoned. The report notes that the Indian Air Force’s fighter strength has fallen from a sanctioned 42 squadrons to 29, intensifying concerns over delayed modernisation and reduced combat capability.
A major unresolved issue is the selection of the domestic strategic partner. The report says the shortlist is likely to include Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen & Toubro, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems, Bharat Forge and, with weaker prospects, Reliance Defence. Tata is described as the strongest contender because of its existing aerospace manufacturing base, while L&T and Adani also bring important industrial capabilities. However, the process remains opaque, with no clarity on whether the partner will be selected by the government-IAF combination or by Dassault itself.
The article also says India is unlikely to receive Rafale source code, but may seek interface control documents to integrate indigenous weapons such as the Astra missile and BrahMos-NG. Overall, it portrays the proposed Rafale purchase as a delayed return to an earlier procurement idea, shaped by higher costs, fewer aircraft and unresolved questions about industrial participation and strategic planning.
