IAF finalises Rafale RFP, sets stage for fighter production before Modi & chief AP Singh fly to France

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has finalised the Request for Proposal (RFP) for 114 Rafale multirole fighter jets — a deal that will combine direct procurement f...

What Happened

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has finalised the Request for Proposal (RFP) for 114 Rafale multirole fighter jets — a deal that will combine direct procurement from France and domestic manufacturing in India.
Under the proposed structure, 22 Rafales will be procured in fly-away condition from France, while the remaining 92 will be manufactured in India through a partnership between Dassault Aviation and an Indian private sector company.
The long-term localisation target is 55–60% for Indian-manufactured Rafale aircraft, advancing India's "Make in India" objectives in defence.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the deal in February 2026; the final contract is expected to be signed later in the fiscal year.
Dassault Aviation has tied up with Tata Advanced Systems, which is setting up a production facility in Hyderabad to manufacture key structural sections of the Rafale, including lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section.

Static Topic Bridges

Defence Procurement Procedure: DAC → CCS → Contract

India's defence procurement follows a structured, multi-stage process governed by the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), last revised in 2020.

Acceptance of Necessity (AoN): The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Defence Minister, grants AoN — the first formal clearance that establishes the operational requirement for a platform.
Request for Proposal (RFP): The technical and commercial document issued to shortlisted vendors specifying requirements. Finalisation of the RFP is a critical milestone after AoN.
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS): For high-value defence acquisitions, final approval must be granted by the CCS — the apex body comprising the PM, Home Minister, Defence Minister, and Finance Minister.
Contract: The binding agreement signed after CCS approval, vendor negotiations, and price benchmarking.
Procurement categories under DAP 2020: Buy (Indian-IDDM), Buy (Indian), Buy & Make (Indian), Buy & Make, and Buy (Global-Make in India). The Rafale deal falls in the "Buy & Make" category with a focus on achieving indigenisation targets over time.

Connection to this news: The finalisation of the RFP is the critical step between AoN (February 2026) and the contract. The deal's "Buy & Make" structure — with 92 of 114 aircraft to be manufactured domestically — directly embodies DAP 2020's push for indigenous production.

Dassault Rafale: Platform Profile

The Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation.

Origin: France; manufacturer: Dassault Aviation.
Engine: Two SNECMA M88-2 afterburning turbofan engines; maximum speed: Mach 1.8.
Role: Air superiority, interdiction, close air support, deep strike, anti-ship strike, airborne reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence.
Variants: Rafale C (single-seat, land-based), Rafale B (twin-seat, land-based), Rafale M (carrier-based, naval variant).
India's existing fleet: IAF inducted 36 Rafales (Rafale C and Rafale B variants) under a 2016 inter-governmental agreement with France; these are based primarily at Ambala and Hasimara air bases.
The new deal involves a larger fleet of 114 aircraft — 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat trainer variants — with Indian production through Tata Advanced Systems at Hyderabad.

Connection to this news: The new RFP for 114 aircraft builds on India's operational experience with the 36-aircraft 2016 fleet, extending the Rafale ecosystem into domestic manufacturing for the first time.

Make in India in Defence: Indigenisation Policy

India's defence indigenisation policy is anchored in the goal of reducing import dependence (currently ~60% of defence equipment is imported) and building a domestic defence industrial base.

DAP 2020 established a tiered preference for domestic procurement: Buy (Indian-IDDM) at the top, followed by Buy (Indian), then Buy & Make (Indian).
Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (IDDM): Highest preference category; requires minimum 50% indigenous content and domestic design ownership.
The Negative Import List (also called Positive Indigenisation List): A rolling list of defence items that cannot be imported — must be procured domestically. Over 500 items are now on the list across three tranches.
Defence Industrial Corridors: Two corridors established — Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu — to cluster defence manufacturing.
The 55–60% localisation target for the Rafale deal exceeds the minimum indigenisation thresholds set under DAP 2020, reflecting the government's ambition to embed high-technology fighter jet manufacturing in India.

Connection to this news: The Tata–Dassault partnership and the Hyderabad production facility are direct outputs of India's Make in India defence policy. The 55–60% localisation target represents one of the highest indigenisation commitments for a foreign-origin combat aircraft in India's procurement history.

Key Facts & Data

Aircraft: Dassault Rafale — French twin-engine, canard-delta, multirole fighter.
Engine: SNECMA M88-2 afterburning turbofan; max speed: Mach 1.8.
Deal structure: 22 fly-away (France) + 92 manufactured in India = 114 total.
Variants: 88 single-seat + 26 twin-seat (trainer) = 114 total.
Localisation target: 55–60% indigenous content for India-manufactured aircraft.
DAC AoN granted: February 2026 (Defence Minister chaired).
Domestic manufacturing partner: Tata Advanced Systems, Hyderabad.
Key structural components to be made in India: rear fuselage shells, rear section, central fuselage, front section.
Dassault to establish second Rafale assembly line at Hyderabad.
India's existing Rafale fleet: 36 aircraft inducted under 2016 inter-governmental agreement (Ambala and Hasimara bases).
Procurement category: Buy & Make (with Indigenous content progressively increasing to 55–60%).
Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 governs the process.
Negative Import List: Over 500 defence items banned from import; must be sourced domestically.