India’s Ministry of External Affairs has underlined that the country’s defence cooperation with France, particularly in relation to the Rafale fighter aircraft, is being pursued with a strong emphasis on co-development, co-design, co-production and co-manufacturing.

This reflects New Delhi’s determination to advance the ‘Make in India’ initiative and enhance indigenous capabilities in the defence sector. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a special briefing during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France, explained that India’s approach is guided by the objective of maximising local production and manufacturing in all defence platforms under consideration.

Misri highlighted that the Indian Air Force already operates Rafale aircraft, and therefore discussions between the governments and air forces of both nations have naturally progressed. He stressed that indigenisation of the Rafale has always been India’s stance, with the Prime Minister consistently emphasising the need to move towards joint development and manufacturing.

According to Misri, maximising production, design and manufacturing within India remains the country’s preference, and this principle is being applied across the spectrum of defence cooperation with France.

The Foreign Secretary noted that while the talks in Nice covered a wide range of defence topics beyond the Rafale, the underlying theme was the importance of structuring cooperation to maximise local content and manufacturing.

This approach is intended to ensure that India’s defence partnerships contribute directly to strengthening domestic industry and self-reliance. The discussions took place after Prime Minister Modi held bilateral and delegation-level talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, and the two leaders jointly inaugurated the Bharat Innovates 2026 conclave.

Earlier this month, India issued a Letter of Request to France for the government-to-government deal worth approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

The Acquisition Wing of the Defence Ministry formally sent the request to French officials, and sources indicated that France is expected to respond within two to three months. Negotiations are likely to be concluded within the next year, making this one of India’s largest defence acquisitions to date.

The proposed deal stipulates that 94 Rafale jets will be manufactured in India by Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company. This marks the first time Rafale aircraft will be produced outside France, with localisation levels expected to reach around 50 per cent.

The Defence Secretary previously emphasised that the highlights of the program include full transparency under a government-to-government agreement, significant localisation, and complete authority for India to integrate its own weapons and systems. This arrangement is expected to accelerate induction timelines, with Rafale Marine aircraft scheduled to begin arriving in 2028, followed by Air Force variants within three and a half years.

India is facing a critical shortage of fighter aircraft squadrons, with the Indian Air Force operating fewer squadrons than required to meet its operational needs. The induction of advanced 4.5-generation Rafale aircraft in large numbers is seen as a key measure to address this shortfall.

With the Air Force and Navy already having placed orders for 62 Rafales, the additional 114 aircraft will raise the total to 176. Furthermore, the Indian Navy has expressed its intent to induct 31 more Rafales to strengthen maritime defence, potentially taking the overall number of Rafales in Indian service to over 200.

This deal represents a significant departure from previous defence agreements, as it embeds the principle of joint development and manufacturing into the contract. It also signals a shift in India’s procurement strategy, moving away from a traditional supplier-client relationship towards a partnership model that prioritises self-reliance and indigenous capability building.

The Rafale program is therefore not only about filling immediate operational gaps but also about laying the foundation for India’s long-term defence industrial base.

ANI