Overview
- Reports citing defence sources say the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Rajnath Singh, is expected to consider granting Acceptance of Necessity next week.
- The proposal envisions 114 Rafales for the IAF, including 18 in fly-away condition and the remainder produced domestically with up to 60% indigenous content.
- About 80% of the aircraft are planned to be manufactured in India through partnerships between Dassault Aviation and Indian private-sector firms.
- The planned configuration comprises 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat jets, aligning with the IAF’s multirole requirements.
- The project cleared the Defence Procurement Board last month and, if AoN is approved, would move to technical and commercial talks, with elements possibly shaped during President Emmanuel Macron’s Feb 18–20 visit.