Why India is betting on Rafale once again – here’s the real reason | World News

New Delhi: India has once again placed a big strategic bet on the Rafale fighter jet as it moves to strengthen its military capabilities with one of the largest defense procurement clearances in recent years. A major proposal worth Rs 3.6 lakh crore has received approval, paving the way for a massive upgrade of air and naval combat power.

The announced plan includes the commissioning of 114 new Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF) as well as the purchase of Boeing P-8I Neptune reconnaissance aircraft for the Navy. The decision comes as military planners face pressure to accelerate modernization. Ongoing tensions with neighboring countries, including Pakistan, increased the urgency of this move.

The urgency of this move was evident in the Union Budget presented on February 1, in which defense spending increased. With the allocation increased by 15 percent, India’s defense budget approached $85 billion. Message capability gaps needed to be closed faster.

In recent months, the IAF’s operational strength has come under pressure. The number of fighter jet fleets decreased to 29. The long-serving MiG-21 fleet retired from fleet service last September. Early versions of the MiG-29, Anglo-French Jaguar aircraft and Mirage-2000 jets are also approaching the end of their service life in the coming years. This cycle of phase-out has created an urgent need for new platforms.

India has historically been dependent on foreign imports for critical military hardware. In recent years, emphasis has been placed on domestic production. This is one of the reasons why the new Rafale deal carries more weight. It meets urgent operational needs while adapting to the pressure on local production.

Security considerations linked to challenges on the western and northern fronts suggest that the agreement will increase India’s war readiness. Defense officials stated that the Rafale aircraft will be produced outside France for the first time, with significant localization. A minimum locality level of 40 to 50 percent was required. Manufacturing under the ‘Make in India’ initiative is expected to take place through an intergovernmental mechanism designed to ensure transparency and eliminate middlemen.

Officials also conveyed that the delivery timeline will support faster induction. The procurement of the Navy’s Rafale version is expected to begin from 2028. Its entry into the Air Force inventory is expected to occur within approximately three and a half years from now.

Under the approved plan, 18 of the 114 aircraft will be delivered directly from France. The remaining jets will be produced in India under the domestic production initiative. Once the deal is completed, India’s total Rafale inventory will increase to 176 aircraft. Thirty-six are currently operating in the Air Force.

The Navy has placed separate orders for 26 Rafale Marine jets to be deployed on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.

Defense observers see this development as significant, but some say its roots go back almost two decades. Negotiations for 126 aircraft within the scope of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft program started in 2007-2008. The plan envisaged that 18 jets would be airworthy and the remaining 108 jets would be produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Rafale emerged as the chosen platform after competition from five other aircraft. Negotiations between the manufacturer and HAL continued for several years until political change changed the course of the agreement.

The previous contract was eventually cancelled. This was replaced by a new agreement and direct import of 36 Rafale jets. The current approval for 114 aircraft is seen as a revival of the scale of the previous vision, adapted to current operational realities.

The focus on Rafale also coincides with the French President’s visit to India, scheduled from February 17-19. Defense cooperation is expected to feature prominently during engagements.

Earlier, India had allowed the purchase of 26 seaplane Rafale jets for carrier deployment. The aircraft is planned for operations from India’s two aircraft carriers.

Rafale’s combat credentials have been in question since last year’s India-Pakistan tensions. While Islamabad claimed that many Indian aircraft were shot down during Operation Sindoor, India denied this claim. Comparisons were also made in the public between Rafale and Pakistan’s Chinese J-10 warplanes. India has not released a detailed statement regarding aircraft losses or damage resulting from the conflict in question.

Strategic analysts suggest that in an ideal scenario, India would opt for entirely indigenous production of fighter jets. Considering the current timelines and capability gaps, Rafale is seen as a practical solution. Technology access, maintenance ecosystems, software support and backup supply chains are seen as critical factors in platform selection. Dependency on suppliers that may impose restrictions in the future is considered a risk variable. Rafale’s operational history and existing integration within the Air Force reduces transition burdens.

Air power planners focus on restoration of fleet strength. The approved requirement is 42 fleets. The current level of 29 includes several units approaching retirement. Jaguar fleets, which started operating in the 1970s and 1980s, continue to operate despite their age. The Mirage-2000 and MiG-29 fleets have undergone upgrades, although their remaining operational life is limited to a few years.

Indigenous programs such as the Tejas light combat aircraft have experienced long delays. The origins of the project date back to 1981. Only two operational squadrons have been fielded in more than four decades, and a third is on the way. The gap between planned and available power has increased the urgency for imported platforms that can be deployed faster. Existing Rafale infrastructure, training systems and logistics networks are expected to reduce additional costs.

India’s search for advanced fighter aircraft dates back to the period following the 1999 Kargil conflict, when the Air Force flagged the need for rapid modernisation. During this war, the Mirage-2000 aircraft played a decisive role with its precision strike capability, all-weather performance and combat characteristics beyond visual range. Their effectiveness influenced future purchasing decisions.

Subsequent governments have pursued a competitive procurement model aimed at providing a next-generation platform suitable for long-term needs. This process resulted in the selection of Rafale and subsequent purchase agreements.

As of September 2016, India has formalized a deal with France for 36 Rafale aircraft worth approximately Rs 59,000 crore. The agreement became a major milestone in bilateral defense cooperation and laid the foundation for the expanded fleet vision that is now moving towards implementation.