- Dassault submitted proposal for 114 Rafale jets to India.
- Deal worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore includes local assembly.
- Rafales crucial for IAF's persistent fighter squadron shortage.
Last week, India moved a step forward in purchasing 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. French aerospace company Dassault Aviation submitted its technical and commercial proposal to India for the proposed deal worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore.
The proposal is in response to India's Letter of Request in May, which calls for large-scale local production and technology transfer under a government-to-government agreement.
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The Defense Acquisition Council, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted "acceptance of necessity" for the purchase in February. After the remaining procurement procedures are completed, the deal will need to be approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India's Persistent Shortage Of Fighter Squadrons
The need for Rafale jets is due to India's persistent shortage of fighter squadrons, and indigenous programs like the Tejas Mk-2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft will take time to develop. Therefore, the 114 Rafales are being seen not just as an expansion of the existing fleet, but as a link between India's current combat capabilities and its future indigenous fighter force.
80 Per Cent Of Rafale Jets To Be Assembled
Under the proposed arrangement, 18 Rafales will be delivered in 'fly-away' condition, while the remaining 96 will be assembled in India. Consequently, more than 80 per cent of the aircraft will be assembled domestically. As the production line progresses, indigenous content is expected to increase from an initial level of approximately 30% to over 60%.
Why Is Rafale Jet Significant For India?
The Rafale is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jet designed to perform a variety of missions, such as air superiority, interception, ground attack, reconnaissance missions and maritime strikes. Its ability to perform multiple roles in a single flight is particularly important for India, which has to remain combat-ready on its western and northern fronts as well as in maritime areas.
Features Of Rafale Aircraft
- Advanced radar and sensor suite.
- Electronic warfare and self-defence.
- Networked Combat Capability.
- The ability to accurately target and conduct reconnaissance.
- Ready for upgrades as needed.
Why Does India Need 114 More Rafale Fighter Jets?
The Indian Air Force currently has 36 Rafale fighter jets, divided between 17 Squadron in Ambala and 101 Squadron in Hasimara. This fleet provides the Air Force with modern multirole fighter capabilities, but its numbers fall short of India's significant fighter needs on the western and northern fronts.
The proposal to buy 114 more Rafales comes at a time when the Air Force is facing a persistent shortage of fighter jets. The gradual phaseout of the ageing MiG-21 fleet will further reduce the number of operational fighter jets, while the induction of new indigenous aircraft will take several more years. Therefore, 114 more Rafales are crucial to India's military needs.
(With Jagran.com inputs)