In a significant step toward finalizing the Rafale deal, India has issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The mega defence agreement is estimated to be worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore.
Details of the Letter of Request
The Letter of Request was issued last week by the acquisition wing of the defence ministry to French officials, according to a source. An LoR is a formal government-to-government document used to initiate defence procurement, often under the US Foreign Military Sales program or similar international agreements.
IAF Chief's Visit to France
Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh arrived in France on Monday for a four-day visit. During his stay, he is likely to discuss the proposed agreement and visit the facilities of Dassault Aviation, where the fighter jets will be manufactured. Following the IAF chief's visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit France around mid-June, and the Rafale deal is expected to be a key topic in his discussions with French leadership.
Timeline and Manufacturing Plans
The French side is expected to reply to India's LoR or tender within the next two to three months. The final contract, anticipated by the end of this year, will be signed after final price negotiations and approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Under the proposed deal, 90 to 94 Rafale jets will be manufactured in India under the Make in India initiative by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company. The remaining jets will be delivered in fly-away condition. This marks the first time Rafale aircraft will be manufactured outside France, with around 50% localization.
Additional Procurements
Separately, the Navy is procuring 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from Dassault for carrier operations, an agreement signed on April 28 last year. The IAF already operates 36 Rafales received under a September 2016 inter-government agreement.
Strategic Importance
India's Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme aims to procure 114 fighter jets to address the critical capability gap in the IAF and counter the depleting strength of its fighter squadrons. The squadron strength has dropped to an alarming 29 from the ideal 42.5 squadrons needed to effectively tackle a two-front security threat from Pakistan and China.
The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the IAF proposal to acquire the 114 Rafale jets over four months ago, paving the way for the current procurement process.
