India likely to clear deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets next week ahead of Macron’s visit, says report

India is gearing up for what could be one of its largest defence purchases in years—a plan to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France—as the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) prepares to meet next week, as reported by the Times of India (TOI).

That timing is important, falling just days before French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in New Delhi for a high-level visit that includes the
Artificial Intelligence Summit scheduled from February 18 to 20.

The proposal—valued at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore—has already cleared an earlier hurdle when the Defence Procurement Board gave its approval last month. The next step is for the DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to grant the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), effectively green-lighting the procurement before it moves on to detailed negotiations and final clearances.

Deal details and manufacturing plans

Under the current blueprint, India would get a mix of 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat
Rafale aircraft, all earmarked for the Indian Air Force (IAF). A key part of the plan is local production: around 80% of the jets are expected to be manufactured in India in partnership with Dassault Aviation and Indian private sector firms, aligning with New Delhi’s “Make in India” push.

Beyond just numbers, defence insiders, cited by the TOI, say there could be flexibility on how the aircraft are equipped. According to reports, the IAF could have the freedom to integrate weapons of its choosing on the jets, including domestically produced munitions, under the final agreement.

The timing of this big-ticket proposal comes as India confronts a widening gap between its current fighter squadron strength—around 30 squadrons—and the authorised requirement of 42.5. Defence planners have stressed that bolstering aerial capabilities is essential given evolving regional security challenges.

With Macron heading to Delhi, the Rafale plan doubles as a signal of closer Indo-French defence ties, and a snapshot of how India wants to upgrade its military by blending foreign buys with homegrown production.