The Indian Ministry of Defence has approved the procurement of 114 additional Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force in a deal valued at approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore. The Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared the acquisition to address the IAF’s depleting squadron strength, which has fallen to nearly 30 squadrons. Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) noted that while 18 jets will arrive in ‘fly-away’ condition, the remaining 96 will be manufactured in India, potentially creating a second production line alongside HAL. Senior journalist Sandeep Unnithan highlighted that this deal signals France as India’s ‘strategic partner of choice’ for high-end military technology. Defence analyst Colonel Ajay Shukla emphasized the need for a long-term view on fleet rationalisation. The project aims for 40-50% indigenous content, supporting the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative while countering regional aerial threats. The final approval now rests with the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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