NEW DELHI, — India expects to reach a conclusion on its proposed acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets by the end of the financial year, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has said. The programme will follow a buy-and-make approach, with most aircraft expected to be assembled in India alongside significant indigenisation and integration of Indian weapons and systems.
Speaking to news agency ANI on Thursday, Singh confirmed that bids submitted under the Request for Proposal (RFP) process are undergoing formal evaluation. A final decision will follow the assessment.
“In this case, of course, we are going one step ahead, in the sense that it's a buy-and-make programme, with the bulk of the aircraft to be assembled in India, with significant levels of indigenisation and integration of Indian systems and weapons,” Singh said.
Rafale Deal to Expand Domestic Manufacturing
The French manufacturer has agreed to integrate Indian weapons into the 26 Rafale Marine fighters ordered separately for the Indian Navy. Deliveries of these naval aircraft are expected to begin in 2028.
The proposed 114-fighter acquisition is a separate programme. India already operates 36 Rafale aircraft with the Indian Air Force (IAF). Reports have placed the potential value of the new deal at around ₹3.25 lakh crore, although the procurement remains under evaluation.
The proposed arrangement is expected to involve a limited number of aircraft supplied from France, with the majority assembled in India. The acquisition is intended to help address the IAF's fighter squadron shortage. The Air Force currently has around 30 squadrons against an authorised requirement of 42.
Tejas Mk2 First Flight Scheduled for Mid-2027
India is continuing development of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2, also known as Tejas Mk2. Singh said its first flight is scheduled for the middle of 2027.
“As of now, the LCA Mk2 is still on, with the first flight scheduled for the middle of next year. Let the prototypes come and let the Air Force evaluate them, and thereafter, we will see,” he said.
The IAF has initially projected a requirement for 120 Tejas Mk2 aircraft. Further decisions will depend on prototype development and the Air Force's evaluation.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will lead the manufacturing programme, with private companies and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contributing to production. Their involvement includes sub-assemblies and major components such as fuselages. The programme will follow a spiral development approach, allowing improvements through successive upgrades.
India Focuses on Indigenous AMCA Fighter
India is also moving forward with the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), its planned fifth-generation fighter. Singh said the government is not currently pursuing the import of a foreign fifth-generation fighter and remains focused on the domestic programme.
Requests for Proposals have been issued to shortlisted Indian vendors. However, the companies have requested additional time because of the technical complexity of developing a fifth-generation aircraft.
“We are going to give them some more time,” Singh said, reiterating that AMCA remains the country's focus for this category of fighter.
The three programmes reflect India's approach of combining foreign fighter procurement with domestic aircraft development. While the Rafale acquisition is intended to strengthen the IAF's fleet and expand local manufacturing, Tejas Mk2 and AMCA are central to building India's indigenous combat aircraft capabilities. The Rafale deal remains subject to bid evaluation and completion of the formal procurement process.
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