India is poised to move forward with a government-to-government (G2G) proposal for 114 additional Rafale fighter jets under its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, The Times of India reports.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to submit the case for “Acceptance of Necessity” (AoN), an early but essential step in India’s defense procurement process, to the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) by October 2025. A final government decision is expected thereafter.
Addressing the IAF’s dwindling fighter fleet
The IAF currently operates 31 fighter squadrons with 16 – 18 jets each, well below the sanctioned strength of 42.5 needed to address simultaneous threats from Pakistan and China. With the retirement of the last MiG-21s scheduled for next month, the fleet will shrink to 29 squadrons — the lowest level in the service’s history.
“Government will take the final decision when the MRFA case comes to DAC,” a source told The Times of India. “But yes, IAF has projected an urgent need for additional Rafales to stem the depletion in the number of its fighter squadrons.”
These pressures intensified following Operation Sindoor, conducted from May 7 to 10, 2025, during which Rafales carried out long-range strikes against Pakistani targets. Islamabad claimed to have downed six IAF aircraft, including three Rafales, using Chinese J-10 fighters equipped with PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles. India has denied suffering any losses.
The IAF argues that a direct G2G purchase would be more economical and logistically viable than an open global tender. With 36 Rafales already in service, Ambala and Hasimara air bases are fully equipped to host at least one additional squadron each.
One sticking point, The Times of India noted, is India’s request for access to the Rafale’s source code to integrate indigenous weapons systems. French manufacturers, including Dassault, Safran, Thales, and MBDA, are cautious about granting such access without strong safeguards to protect proprietary technology.
Reinforcing the local industry
The potential deal comes as Franco-Indian industrial cooperation on the Rafale deepens. In June 2025, Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture Rafale fuselages in Hyderabad, the first time such assemblies will be built outside France.
The new facility will produce complete fuselage sections, including the front, central, and rear assemblies, for both Indian and potential export aircraft. Production is scheduled to begin in FY2028 at a rate of up to two fuselages per month.
Separately, India is in talks with France’s Safran to co-develop a new high-thrust engine for its future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), expected to enter service around 2035.
The Indian Navy is also set to receive 26 Rafale M carrier-based fighters from 2028 for deployment on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Advocates of the Rafale option say that operating a common platform across both the Air Force and Navy would simplify pilot training, reduce maintenance costs, and streamline spare parts inventories.
Other options
IAF officials have rejected rumors that the Korean KF-21 Boramae is under consideration for MRFA, confirming it is not on the shortlist. Alongside the Rafale, other contenders remain the Lockheed Martin F-21 (a variant of the F-16V), Saab Gripen E/F, Boeing F-15EX, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russia’s MiG-35 and Su-35.
India has ruled out buying Lockheed Martin’s F-35A amid an ongoing trade dispute with the US. The IAF is, however, exploring potential co-production of 50 to 60 Su-57E fighters with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), with discussions expected during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi in September 2025.
The MRFA initiative comes amid reports that China will supply Pakistan with at least 40 J-35A stealth fighters. If concluded, the Rafale order would set a new export record for Dassault Aviation and provide a significant boost to India’s combat capability, while reinforcing its defense and industrial partnership with France at a time of heightened tensions with Islamabad and Beijing.
19 comments
Why don’t you buy Pakistani JF 17 from Pakistan? That’s a very good jet and cheap, too. Another great advantage for you guys will be that the IAF will come at par with the PAF since they also operate this platform.
You are a very ill informed person first check the capabilities of JF17 whether it is about payload capacity or radar range or engine performance ,India has it’s own aircraft that is Tejas it is already much better than the scrap JF17
your rafale was also the best in your opinion but in actual figt it was kati patang.Your Tejas is much more inferior than Rafale.
You can fly this jets in your drawing-room only….😂😂😂
India seems to want everything. Last time they wanted USA F-35, then Russia SU-47, Korean Jets, Swedish Gripens, now Rafael from France. India has the technology the only country that genuinely loves India is Russia, Russia has never betrayed India kindly let them stick to Russia deal.
Please F-35 has nothing but a fancy price tag. A British F-35 was grounded in India for almost a month because it developed technical issues. For almost a month neither the British nor the Americans could get it fixed. On the other hand, Mirage and Rafale have proved to be potent weapons in multiple engagements including Balakot strikes, Aftermath of 2016 Surgical Strikes, Op Sindoor, the Mirage (predecessor) of Rafale was used in hundreds of sorties during the Kargil War and not once did it falter, it proved easy to service and had effective operational capabilities at Himalayan heights. Our French friends have not let us down especially in this aspect. Dassault Aviation has battle-tested, reliable and robust technology. Sukhoi & Saab have good technology too but Dassault suits India better. We have been operating Dassault aircrafts for decades, so the Indian Air Force is accustomed to the basics and has the necessary skill, knowledge, infrastructure and technology to operate Dassault jets.
Besides …. look at how well the Rafale out-performs the F35. The F35 … well was in-operational for almost a month.
But why wud india like to reduce its 23–0 record by buying inferior weapons that may allow porkis to make d score 20–5 india wants more rafale so that it can increase d recird to 50–0… Papa has to act likrle papa na
But Usman we don’t need to match the par excellent beggar PAF force. All we need to do is use our Brahmos loaded on the Su30s.
Rafales are being bought only to take victory laps over Rawalpindi GHQ, Lahore and Karachi. We need to give them Burkha clad women something to cheer about!! 😄
Also Lahore Sea port
And don’t forget about imaginary f-16’s that s400 shot down..haha IAF is a joke.
Victory laps????. As was done last time around when Indian media destroyed Lahore port and what not
The great air force of Pakistan got its Squadron leader killed and 4 other airmen lol
Your roofs of airbases are blown up, why did PAF allowed this? You cant protect your own, you are a munafir quom
My question is this that Idian wii get source code of these fighters jet or it will be soft targets of PAF.
It is high time the Indian Govt reviews the 42.5 Sqn concept. The Airforces and technology has over the years evolved to such an extent that the that the thrust on fighter Sqn’s have dwindled over the years. With stand off munitions and weapons like the brahmos coming in as potent forces, it is high time we review the 42.5 sanctioned Sqn concept. The change in IAF doctrine along with the shift on war strategies requires a review of the sanctioned Sqn strength urgently. For years we have fought wars with this depleted Sqn strength
France denial to share sorce code is no way of strengthening defense ties between two countries. Their intention is to do buisness only. Without source code rafales would be an ordinary fighter jet when dealing with an modern enemy setup. Western powers are playing a strategic game, they don’t want to have developing countries like India to have an edge in trms of military power. Russia has been a long standing trusted partner. Recent government policies have undermined this long standing trust. Set aside China, the developed Western powers and the Western driven media are more threat to us , undermining our status time and again. We need to revive our sqn strength immediately with the help of trusted partner who is willing to share source code and technology transfer and assist in आत्मनिर्भर India.
There is no such thing as a source code. Most of the Dassault technology works on very different operational concepts. It’s a common trait of French technology. The source code that you are referring to is already known to India. However, the manner of operation is such that France makes the modifications as requested by India. But the process is complicated and takes time. For example – the Rafale is BrahMos-NG capable. In order to make it capable – India, France, Dassault Aviation, BrahMos Aerospace & several other entities have to put in a lot of work. Similarly, a French company is making advanced guidance systems for BrahMos.
Also, according to the website of Dassault Systems they have 10 offices in India. So obviously they have the inclination to support development in and with India.
Together Rafels and Su 57Es could cost 25 to 35 Billion Dollars. This is because of China creating Arms race by supplying Pakistan with latest fighters. But Indian PM trusts China and Russia and BRICS. The warfare changed to drones as we saw in Ukraine war. Drones gutted entire fleet of military aircrafts in the base. Spending big is not the answer. Acquiring smartly and plan surprise strategies with cost advantages will give an edge not rat race for fighter planes.
Pakistan’s airbase destroyer!💥
Brahmos is enough to take out the whole pak cheap made in china crap fleet. As we have seen in Op Sindoor.