New Delhi, October 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India is likely to finalise the long-awaited acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft from France by the end of the current financial year if ongoing negotiations progress as planned, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Air Force Day, the Chief of the Air Staff said price negotiations and other key issues related to the proposed Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) acquisition were currently under discussion. The deal is estimated at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore.
The Defence Acquisition Council had in February accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of Rafale aircraft under the MRFA programme, with the majority of the aircraft to be manufactured in India.
If concluded, the acquisition would significantly expand India’s Rafale fleet. The IAF currently operates 36 Rafale fighters, while the Indian Navy has separately contracted 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft for carrier operations. The Navy’s Rafale-Marine agreement with France was signed in April 2025 and includes provisions for indigenous weapons integration and production and maintenance facilities in India.
Air Chief Marshal Singh also indicated that the IAF could consider another fighter platform if the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme encounters delays.
“Russia has offered us Su-57 jets, but no decision has been made on it,” he said.
On the IAF’s fighter squadron strength, Singh said the force would require around 36 to 40 additional aircraft every year over the next few years.
He also stressed the need to accelerate modernisation and strengthen indigenous defence capabilities, saying the IAF would have to build an “AI-augmented force”. He underlined the importance of developing a fighter aircraft engine domestically as part of India’s long-term aerospace self-reliance efforts.
The proposed Rafale acquisition is also expected to support domestic manufacturing. The government has said the MRFA programme envisages manufacturing the majority of the aircraft in India, while the earlier Rafale-Marine agreement included provisions for production and maintenance facilities in the country.
Singh said the indigenous LCA Tejas Mk1A programme would continue alongside the Rafale acquisition, with future development involving increasingly advanced indigenous systems, including radars and weapons.
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