Defence Acquisition Council clears proposal to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets

Defence Acquisition Council has cleared a proposal to buy 114 Rafale fighter ‌jets from France’s Dassault Aviation.

The clearance comes days before French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to India for the Artificial Intelligence Summit.

Around 18 aircraft are likely to be acquired in fly-away condition to meet the Indian Air Force’s immediate operational requirements, while the remaining jets would be manufactured in India, an official told The Hindu.

Following the DAC’s clearance, Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will have to give the final approval.

The procurement would take the total Rafale fleet in the country to 176 aircraft, with the Indian Air Force already operating 36 Rafale jets and the Indian Navy having placed orders for 26 naval variants last year.