India to Buy 114 Rafale Jets in $40 Billion Defense Boost Ahead of French President’s Visit

India on Thursday granted initial approval for the purchase of $40 billion (3.6 trillion Indian rupees) worth of defense equipment, including additional French Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

India’s Ministry of Defence said that the Defence Acquisition Council has given preliminary approval for additional Rafale fighter jets and missiles for the Air Force, anti-tank missiles for the Army, and P-8I surveillance aircraft for the Navy.

Indian media reported on Thursday that the Defence Acquisition Council approved 3.25 trillion Indian rupees for the purchase of 114 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation.

The budget was approved during a meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday, under which more Rafale fighter jets will be inducted into the Indian Air Force.

In a social media post, India’s Ministry of Defence said the objective is to enhance air power and strengthen surveillance systems.

The approval comes just days before the French president’s visit to India, and it is expected that an agreement will be finalized during the visit.

It is worth noting that last April, India signed a deal with France to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets. The total cost of those aircraft was approximately 630 billion rupees, or about $8 billion.

Officials said this is further proof of the superiority of the French defense industry in international competition. “At the geopolitical level, this decision also highlights the importance of the strategic bilateral partnership between India and France.

According to them, this relationship of mutual trust—based on sovereignty and respect for mutual interests—serves as a strong foundation for global stability and will be further strengthened in the coming years.”

It should be noted that Rafale aircraft were also mentioned during the fighting between Pakistan and India last May.

Pakistan had claimed that during the conflict, it shot down six Indian fighter jets, including Rafales.

Defense expert Ashwini Sewach said that the approval of this amount would prove to be a game changer for India. India will acquire 114 Rafale aircraft, forming six to seven squadrons.

According to him, the aircraft are expected to arrive over the next seven to eight years, and most of them will be manufactured in India.

A user named Ferd wrote that this is the biggest deal of the century for France’s Dassault Aviation. It is the largest export contract in the company’s history.

Bhoumik Doshi wrote that even with a $40 billion deal, if the Rafales are manufactured in India, it would not be a good bargain.

According to him, under the “Make in India” framework, the deal would only be considered better if France provides full autonomy and complete cooperation.

Manjit Negi wrote, “A nightmare for Pakistan. India has approved the purchase of 114 Rafale jets. This is a major step toward a stronger India.”

Will India Gain Superiority Over Pakistan with This Fighter Jet?

These aircraft will be equipped with full combat systems, weapons, simulators, and spare parts. The deal also includes pilot training and equipment supply.

The Rafale fighter jet is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It will be equipped with Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles with a range of 70 kilometers, SCALP air-to-ground missiles with a range of 300 kilometers, and Meteor air-to-air missiles with a range of 120 to 150 kilometers.

Defense expert Sanjeev Srivastava said that although many countries today are conducting attacks using drones, fighter jets remain important due to their precision and long-range strike capabilities.

Analyst Rahul Bedi said that purchasing these aircraft had become necessary because the Indian Navy currently operates Russian-made MiG-29 aircraft, which will become unusable in the coming years.

The approval of this defense budget comes at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are at their peak following the Pahalgam attack.

So, will India gain superiority over Pakistan with this fighter jet? How important is the Rafale deal for India in the current tense situation with Pakistan?

Responding to this question, Rahul Bedi said that in this part of Asia, apart from China and Thailand, no other country possesses an aircraft carrier.

In this regard, there is no comparison between Pakistan and India. However, experts say that amid rising tensions after the Pahalgam attack, India will benefit from the Rafale deal, but the most important factor is delivery, which will take several months.

In response to this question, defense expert Sanjeev Srivastava said, “India currently has two aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, while Pakistan does not have a single aircraft carrier. India has China in mind. The Air Force previously deployed Rafale aircraft keeping China in consideration.”

How many fighter jets does India need for its security? One answer to this question is that the more aircraft you have, the more locations you can fight in. That means numbers matter in this case.