India’s plan to amass 114 further Rafale fighter jets has moved a step nearer to fruition, with the Defence Procurement Board (DPB) clearing the proposal, marking the primary main milestone in a deal seen as essential to bolstering the Indian Air Power’s fight functionality.
The proposal will now be positioned earlier than the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, for additional approval. This will likely be adopted by value negotiations and ultimate clearance from the Cupboard Committee on Safety (CCS).
In keeping with sources, New Delhi and Paris are aiming to finalise the settlement throughout a proposed assembly between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in February, giving recent momentum to long-running talks on increasing the Rafale fleet.
India and France have been engaged in intensified discussions on a follow-on Rafale acquisition amid rising issues inside the Air Power over its steadily declining squadron energy. The talks are anticipated to assemble tempo forward of President Macron’s scheduled go to to India subsequent month.
SQUADRON STRENGTH AT CRITICAL LEVELS
The push for added Rafales comes in opposition to the backdrop of a pointy fall within the IAF’s fighter squadron numbers, which have dropped to 29 squadrons — properly under the authorised energy of 42.5 squadrons required to successfully counter a possible two-front problem from China and Pakistan. Every squadron sometimes operates 16 to 18 plane.
The state of affairs worsened after the retirement of the MiG-21 fleet final 12 months, additional depleting the Air Power’s fight stock.
Whereas the long-pending Multi-Position Fighter Plane (MRFA) programme, envisaging the induction of 114 fashionable fighters, stays stalled resulting from procedural delays, the Rafale is more and more being considered because the quickest strategy to bridge essential operational gaps.
“Whereas a ultimate choice will likely be taken as soon as the MRFA proposal is positioned earlier than the DAC, the Air Power has clearly projected an pressing operational requirement for added Rafales to arrest the continuing depletion in fighter squadrons,” a defence supply mentioned.
STRONG ‘MAKE IN INDIA’ PUSH LIKELY
Sources indicated that any expanded Rafale deal is predicted to hold a powerful ‘Make in India’ push. India has already contracted 24 Rafale-M plane for the Navy, which offers a pricing and contractual benchmark for a possible follow-on order for the Air Power.
Industrial cooperation between Indian and French defence companies can be increasing. Tata Superior Programs Restricted has partnered with Dassault Aviation to fabricate key Rafale fuselage sections at a facility in Hyderabad, with the primary elements anticipated by FY 2028. The plant might scale as much as produce as much as 24 fuselages yearly for each Indian and world necessities.
Parallel initiatives below dialogue embrace plans for an engine manufacturing facility in Hyderabad and a Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul (MRO) hub in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. Collectively, these tasks might finally carry almost 60 per cent of the Rafale’s manufacturing worth into India, sources mentioned.
DELAYS IN TEJAS MK1A ADD PRESSURE
The urgency has been compounded by delays within the induction of the indigenous LCA Tejas Mk1A. The Air Power has ordered 83 Mk1A jets, with an extra 97 cleared by the DAC, however deliveries have slipped resulting from provide chain disruptions, engine availability points and manufacturing ramp-up challenges.
Air Power Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has publicly flagged issues over the revised timelines, noting that delays within the Mk1A programme have widened the aptitude hole created by the phased retirement of legacy platforms. These setbacks, officers mentioned, have elevated the Air Power’s reliance on interim options equivalent to further Rafale inductions to take care of operational readiness.
The acquisition of further Rafale fighter jets can be essential to India’s air defence.
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