IAF To Seek Quick Rafale Deal With France As Squadron Numbers Dip

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is pressing for a government-to-government (G2G) deal with France to acquire additional Rafale fighters to address its fast-depleting squadron strength, The Times of India has said in a report.

This comes as the IAF’s long-pending 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) project, under which most jets would be built in India with foreign collaboration, awaits Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approval.

The urgency follows Operation Sindoor from May 7 to 10, during which Rafales were extensively used for long-range strikes against Pakistan.

While India has not confirmed any losses, it has rejected Pakistan’s claim that it shot down six IAF jets, including three Rafales, using Chinese-origin J-10s armed with PL-15 missiles.

The service has also projected the requirement for two to three squadrons of fifth-generation fighters. Russia’s Su-57 and the US F-35 would be the only options on the table, given the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) will not be ready for years to come.

IAF sources say a direct deal with France would be faster and more economical than a global tender, leveraging existing infrastructure at Ambala and Hasimara to base at least one more Rafale squadron each. The Navy is also set to get 26 Rafale-Marine jets for INS Vikrant from 2028 to 2030 under a seven-billion-euro contract signed in April.

The IAF will now seek Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from the DAC for the additional Rafales under the G2G route.