India’s Ministry of Defence has raised key observations in the Indian Air Force’s 114-fighter Medium Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) procurement, seeking substantial corrections and stronger commitments before progressing to the next stage.

The assessment highlights insufficient clarity in workshare distribution, lifecycle cost evaluation, and local industrial participation, all of which are now being prioritised in line with national procurement reforms.

Officials have reportedly asked Dassault Aviation to offer a more comprehensive indigenisation roadmap if the Rafale platform remains the frontrunner. This includes tangible guarantees on technology transfer, supply chain localisation, and establishment of a full-spectrum Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem within India. The focus extends to critical systems manufacturing, avionics integration, and export-permissible production capacities to ensure long-term self-reliance.

The Defence Ministry’s stance mirrors the structured industrial participation models seen in the C295 transport aircraft deal and recent naval programmes, both of which enforced Make in India clauses and export-compliant production standards. By demanding definitive technology-sharing agreements and verifiable production work packages, New Delhi aims to prevent future dependence on imported assemblies.

Additionally, lifecycle cost validation and operational sustainment frameworks are being tightened to ensure fiscal predictability over three decades of service. The revised criteria stress assured spare part availability, domestic repair networks, and long-term upgrade flexibility for indigenous avionics and weapon systems.

The MRFA timeline may face adjustment as evaluation teams rework documents to incorporate these enhanced requirements and secure binding industrial commitments from contenders. This policy refinement underscores India’s strategic shift from direct acquisition towards co-development partnerships that fortify the defence manufacturing base.

Major Flux For Dassault Aviation

The revised MRFA framework is expected to place Dassault Aviation under greater scrutiny compared to its earlier dealings, compelling it to exceed the level of localisation offered during the Rafale-M and original Rafale-F3R acquisitions. It can also enforce pressure on logistics coordination and supply chain management to ensure smooth operation and timely delivery of components in the proposed localisation process.

Should the French proposal fall short of the enhanced industrial benchmarks, rival contenders such as Boeing’s F-15EX, Lockheed Martin’s F-21, SAAB’s Gripen-E, and Eurofighter Typhoon could gain renewed traction by offering deeper Indian partnerships or joint production lines.

The Defence Ministry’s insistence on binding industrial participation and transparent cost models signals a decisive pivot—prioritising long-term strategic autonomy and indigenous capability over rapid procurement cycles.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)