India is moving ahead with plans to procure 114 additional Rafale fighter jets from France, aiming to strengthen the Indian Air Force and address shortages in fighter squadrons.
Officials said India has finalised a request letter for the purchase and is expected to send it to France in the coming weeks. The government is targeting the signing of the agreement by the end of this year.
A key feature of the proposed plan is local manufacturing. Nearly 90 of the aircraft are expected to be built in India, while the remaining jets would be delivered in fly-away condition.
The development comes as Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh is expected to visit France in early June, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to travel to France later in June. The IAF currently operates 36 Rafale jets.
Separately, the Indian Navy is preparing to induct 26 Rafale aircraft over the next few years for aircraft carrier operations, as part of broader efforts to enhance combat aviation capability.
