India Cuts Rafale Jet Buy to 60, Eyes Foreign 5th-Gen Stealth Fighters as Stopgap Before Indigenous AMCA

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to recalibrate its ambitious plan to acquire 114 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Instead of buying all 114 aircraft of the same type, the plan is now being split between two types—60 Rafale F4 jets from France and 60 fifth-generation stealth fighters from another international partner.

This decision is part of an interim strategy to strengthen the IAF’s capabilities while India’s homegrown stealth jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), is still in development.

The original Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender was designed as a competitive global program. But now, the government is moving toward a Government-to-Government (G2G) model, which simplifies and speeds up large defence purchases. Under this new plan, India will buy 60 Rafale F4 jets through a G2G deal with France, and explore acquiring 60 fifth-generation stealth jets from other countries.

Possible contenders for the stealth fighter include the American F-35 and Russia’s Su-75 Checkmate. These aircraft will act as a strategic stopgap to avoid any capability gap, as the IAF currently has only 31 squadrons, well below the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons.

Officials say this dual-track acquisition is meant to quickly fill operational gaps, gain experience with stealth technology, and counter regional threats from adversaries like China and Pakistan. It also helps avoid the risk of relying solely on the timeline of India’s AMCA, which is still years from production, with induction expected by the mid-2030s.

The Rafale deal will also focus on 'Make in India'. Even with a reduced number of jets, Dassault Aviation—the French manufacturer—will be asked to set up partial assembly operations in India. This complements recent developments, such as Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) getting a contract to build complete Rafale fuselages in the country.

The IAF will also seek greater integration of Indian systems into the Rafale jets—like locally developed avionics, electronic warfare suites, and weapons—to cut costs and boost India's defence industry.

Earlier, Dassault wanted a firm commitment for at least 110 Rafales to make a full-scale production line in India feasible. But the Indian government is being careful with its defence budget, given the massive investments already lined up for indigenous aircraft.

India plans to buy over 337 locally made jets in the coming years. These include:

• 83 Tejas Mk1A

• More Tejas Mk2

• At least 120 AMCA stealth fighters

This revised MRFA approach gives India a balanced and modern strategy. By combining a proven 4.5-generation platform like the Rafale F4 with a fifth-generation stealth aircraft, India can quickly strengthen its air force, gain valuable stealth experience, and smoothly transition to its own next-generation AMCA—cementing its path toward self-reliance in defence.