France likely to respond to India’s 114 Rafale jet Letter of Request by mid-August: Report

France is expected to give its official response to India’s 114 Rafale deal Letter of Request by mid-August. India gave a Letter of Request to France earlier in May, and the French officials have sought time till mid-August.

News agency ANI reported that New Delhi and Paris would sit at the negotiation table after France gives its response. India sent a Letter of Request (LoR) to France in May this year to begin negotiations for a government-to-government deal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). 

Under the proposal, 94 of the aircraft would be manufactured in India by France’s Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company, giving a significant boost to domestic aerospace manufacturing.

Aircrafts critical for Indian Air Force

The acquisition is considered crucial for the IAF, whose squadron strength has been steadily declining due to the retirement of ageing aircraft, including several variants of the Russian-origin MiG fighters, and delays in the induction of indigenous platforms such as the LCA Mark 1A and the upcoming LCA Mark 2.

The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy have already ordered a total of 62 Rafale jets. If the 114-aircraft deal is finalised, India’s Rafale fleet will expand to 176 aircraft. The Indian Navy has also indicated its intention to acquire an additional 31 Rafales for maritime operations, potentially taking the country’s total Rafale inventory to more than 200.

Proposal part of Ministry’s effort to strengthen IAF

The proposal is part of the Defence Ministry’s broader effort to strengthen the IAF’s combat capabilities. Soon after Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh assumed office in 2024, the ministry undertook a comprehensive review of the Air Force’s operational requirements. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the IAF’s proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighters more than four months ago, paving the way for the next stage of negotiations.

Last month, France had signalled that it is fully comfortable with the transfer of technology (ToT) for Rafale fighter jets and integrating Indian-developed weapons and systems onto the aircraft. French sources indicated that “Make in India” would be a crucial component of this deal.

(With ANI Inputs)

Also Read:

Pakistan’s Rafale claim debunked again as IAF document confirms all 36 jets operational