India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the acquisition of 114 additional Rafale jets, six more P-8I maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, and discussed the flagship program to develop indigenous marine gas turbine engines for the Indian Navy.
After the DAC granting Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), the project moves to the crucial stage of issuing the Request for Proposal (RFP) to vendors, followed by technical evaluation, field trials (if necessary), and commercial negotiations.
For major acquisitions, final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is required before the contract is signed.
In 2025, the DAC approved multiple major capital acquisition proposals totaling more than Rs 3 lakh crore ($35B), strongly prioritizing indigenous sourcing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) program.
The proposal to acquire 114 Rafale jets had been moved by the Indian Air Force (IAF) sometime back. The new induction is aimed at arresting the steady decline in the IAF’s fighter squadron strength.
The Defence Procurement Board had already examined the case before it referred it to the DAC, the MoD’s highest decision-making body on capital acquisitions. The case has also been timed with the French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India, who will be here for the AI Summit starting 17 February.
DAC also approved the Indian Navy’s long-pending plan to procure six additional P-8I aircraft from the United States. The move comes amid signs of easing tensions between New Delhi and Washington, following progress on trade and tariff issues.
The Indian Navy currently operates 12 P-8I aircraft and is seeking 6 more to strengthen surveillance over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The acquisition is being pursued through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
Senior officials from the US Department of Defence and Boeing visited India in September 2025 for detailed discussions. The contract is likely to be signed in the next financial year.
The DAC also discussed a major indigenisation proposal for developing marine gas turbine engines for the Indian Navy under the MAKE-I category.
The Make-I category under India’s Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 facilitates government-funded, indigenous design, development, and manufacturing of critical military platforms. It offers 70 percent funding support for prototype development (up to ₹250 crore per agency) to Indian firms, encouraging “Aatmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in major defence technologies.
The plan is to reduce dependence on imported propulsion systems and support the Navy’s long-term shipbuilding plans. The focus is on developing a 24-28 megawatt marine gas turbine to power future destroyers and frigates.
Currently, India is dependent on foreign suppliers such as the US-made GE LM2500 and Ukrainian Zorya engines. Four prototype engines are planned under the programme.
Indian Navy has been working with DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Alongside conventional gas turbines, the Navy is also studying full electric propulsion for future warships to improve efficiency and reduce life-cycle costs.
The Fighter Aircraft Urgency
As of late 2025, the IAF fields only 29 fighter aircraft squadrons against an authorised strength of 42.5, a gap aggravated by delays in indigenous programs.
IAF’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program is meant to acquire 114 advanced fighter jets to replace aging fleets and bolster squadron strength.
Eight contenders responded to the RFI (Request for Information) issued in April 2018. Valued at around $20–$39 billion, the deal focuses on indigenous manufacturing. The program aims to address severe operational gaps.
Rafale has been tested in various exercises and, more recently, during “Op Sindoor” against Pakistan.
A government-to-government (G2G) deal could be signed quickly, as the price has already been identified. 114, when added to 26 Rafale-Marine (M) of the Indian Navy, would make a viable figure for make-in-India and for setting up a full assembly line in the country.
There is already a project to make the Rafale fuselage in India. France’s Safran is establishing a dedicated facility in Hyderabad, India, for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of the M88 engines used in the Rafale fighter jets. India’s future fighter fleet will not only be a military asset but also a central pillar of the country’s operational capabilities and national strategy.
Meanwhile, the US has cleared a $686-million upgrade package for Pakistani F-16 fighter jets, which will also extend the life of the Pakistani F-16 fleet until 2040. China already has nearly 400 J-20 fifth-generation fighters. Pakistan is already operating J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 long-range beyond-visual-range (LR-BVR) missiles.
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has sought to acquire the Chinese J-35 fifth-generation aircraft. With China and Pakistan working in collusion, and by adding and modernising their fighter fleets, regional military balances are undergoing a significant transformation.
Broad Contours
In April 2025, through an additional inter-governmental agreement, a contract for 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy costing ₹63,887 crore (approximately $7.6 billion) was signed.
The Rafale-M has 95 percent commonality with IAF fighters, and thus a very high degree of interoperability.
India is now set to approve the Rs 3.25 lakh crore ($35B) mother-of-all-deals to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France. It will include 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat variants.
The deal is likely to include 18 jets in fly-away condition, with the remaining manufactured domestically, boosting India’s defence manufacturing under the Make-in-India initiative with up to 60 per cent indigenous content.
The jets will likely be assembled at a final assembly line expected to be established in Nagpur. IAF’s current Rafales are F3R standard. 90 of the new aircraft will be Rafale F4 multirole fighters. The remaining 24 are likely to be next-generation Rafale F5 variants. The deal will include SCALP and advanced variants of Meteor missiles.
IAF’s Existing Rafale F3R
The Rafale is considered a 4.5-generation fighter. It has forward hemisphere stealth and super-cruise capability. IAF Rafale aircraft are highly customised with some India-specific modifications.
Essentially, they are of F3-plus standard. India initially acquired 36 Rafale F3R variants through a €7.87 billion ($8.5 billion) deal signed in 2016. It was a G2G contract prioritising speed and political assurance.
The platform combined air superiority, deep-strike, nuclear delivery, and electronic warfare roles. The aircraft had significant India-specific enhancements, and the deal included infrastructure for two full operational airbases.
During Op Sindoor, Rafale’s survivability and the integration of long-range standoff munitions, electronic attack, and real-time data fusion were demonstrated and appreciated.
India-Specific Enhancements included Israeli helmet-mounted displays, Integration of Spice-1000 glide bombs, advanced jammers, cold-start capability for high-altitude bases (like Leh), Indian satellite communications, and integration with indigenous weapons like Astra missiles, among others.
The F3R standard became operational around 2019. It serves as a bridge to the next-generation Rafale F4 standard, which adds advanced connectivity and further capabilities.
Rafale F4
Development of the F4 standard began in 2019. The standard improved on-board processing, external connectivity, and upgrade of the Thales Spectra self-defence system.
The radar and sensor upgrades facilitate the detection of airborne stealth targets at long range. With improved communications equipment, it is also more effective in network-centric warfare.
Flight tests began in 2021, and the first F4-standard aircraft was delivered in 2023. The French Air and Space Force (FASF) aircraft are being upgraded to this standard.
UAE is the first foreign customer of F4.
F4 will give enhanced survivability and sensor-fusion-based dominance in highly contested environments. The aircraft will be able to integrate Indian systems and weapons such as the Astra Mk-2 BVR AAM.
The Indian proposal envisages a firm order for 90 Rafale F4 aircraft with deliveries beginning around 2029. The Rafale F4 continues to undergo planned upgrades through 2035, thereby extending both its capability and relevance.
Rafale F5
Dassault and its partners are already working on the F5 standard, which is expected to be ready around 2030. The upgrade will be incremental. F5 will share some features with the 6th-generation European aircraft.
The F5 standard will include new sensors, armaments, and a faster, more secure means of communication and collaboration. The aircraft will have a much better electronic warfare suite, with advanced capabilities for Suppression or Destruction of Enemy Defences (SEAD/DEAD), including the latest jamming systems and anti-radiation weapons.
It will be a further evolution of the existing SPECTRA EW and jamming system and will also create a “defensive bubble” around the aircraft.
F5 will also introduce fibre-optic cabling. All this will greatly improve penetration in a contested environment. The Rafale F5 will also act as a sensor truck, with data fusion and processing capabilities that enable it to serve as a tactical flying command post. The F5 is envisioned to bridge fifth and sixth-generation capabilities.
The F5 will also be modified to carry the Anglo-French Future Cruise Missile (FCM) and Future Anti-Ship Missile (FASM). The T-REX engine will deliver nearly 20 percent greater thrust than the current M88-2.
The “Super Rafale” will also be modified to carry hypersonic, nuclear-capable, guided missiles. Dassault calls it an Air Combat System within a system, rather than just a fighter jet, like the current Rafale F4 variant is.
F5 deliveries were initially planned to start in 2029, but discussions are underway to start them in 2027. France continues to see a market for Rafale F5 for those unable to acquire the F-35 for geo-political reasons.
The Rafale is distinct from other European fighters because it is almost entirely built by one country, with Dassault (airframe), Thales (avionics and EW), and Safran (aero-engine) covering all the major systems.
French officials had reportedly also considered equipping the Rafale to launch small satellites.
The likely India deal envisages 24 Rafale F5 with deliveries from around 2030. The F4 aircraft may also be upgraded later to the F5 standard.
Rafale jets are set to become a cornerstone of India’s Operational credibility and deterrence. The Rafale is planned to be the FASF’s (French Air and Space Force) primary combat aircraft until at least 2040.
Make in India Aero-Engine with France
French aerospace company Safran and India’s DRDO have joined to develop India’s first jet engine with Indian intellectual property rights (IPR). Safran will transfer 100 percent of the technology to DRDO, including that for crystal blades.
The joint project between Safran and India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO lab, will develop and produce a 120-kilonewton (kN) engine to power India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Later engine variants will have up to 140 KN.
Rafale Current Production Rate
In October 2025, Dassault hailed the production of the 300th Rafale. As of late 2025, there have been 533 firm orders for the Rafale, with France and export customers including India, Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the UAE, Serbia, and Indonesia. Of these, 233 are still to be delivered.
There are more countries showing interest. When the 114 aircraft deal goes through, the numbers will be even more significant.
A year ago, the Rafale production rate was 2 aircraft a month (24 a year). The same has now been increased to 3 per month (36 per year), with a plan to increase to 4 per month (48 per year) to handle a growing backlog of orders.
This is a significant increase from previous years and is supported by expansion at the Mérignac factory and new facilities in Cergy-Pontoise.
Dassault already has plans to make the Rafale fuselage in India. With increased Indian orders, a full assembly line can be created in India. This would give a great boost to total production. Making in India would also be cheaper.
Dassault could thus source and supply India-made Rafale jets for global customers. Such a plant would also expand India’s options for future aircraft with France.
P-8I Poseidon Deal and Operations
The P-8I is a customized export variant of the P-8A, equipped with the Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface-search radar. It also features two components not fitted on the P-8A: a Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar and a Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD), a specialized sensor technology used in anti-submarine warfare (ASW). India purchased AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles and Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedoes for the P-8I.
On 1 January 2009, India’s Ministry of Defence signed a US$2.1 billion (~$2.98 billion in 2024) agreement with Boeing for eight P-8Is to replace the Indian Navy’s aging Tupolev Tu-142M maritime surveillance turboprops.
P8I were inducted into the Indian Navy on 15 May 2013 at INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu. The deal for four additional aircraft worth around $1.1 billion was signed on 27 July 2016. All aircraft were in India by 30 December 2021.
On 30 April 2021, the US Department of Defense (DoD) cleared the sale of six P-8Is and related equipment. The $3 billion deal for six P-8I aircraft is close to being sealed now.
The P-8I Poseidon is a key long-range maritime patrol aircraft (LRMPA) for the Indian Navy used for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and anti-surface warfare.
The Indian Navy already operates 12 P-8Is from INS Rajali and INS Hansa to achieve maritime dominance and support operations, including anti-piracy, across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), as well as for surveillance along the land border (LAC).
The aircraft is also equipped with sensors and systems from Indian defence companies. High endurance (over 10 hours) enables long patrols across India’s vast maritime interests.
Maritime Domain Awareness is crucial for monitoring the growing Chinese naval presence in the IOR. P8I projects power and ensures India’s ability to respond to threats in its extended maritime area, adding deterrence.
In 2014, several Indian Navy P-8Is conducted search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The aircraft was deployed during the search operations for the wreckage after the 2016 IAF An-32 crash in the Bay of Bengal.
P-8Is were deployed in the 2017 Doklam Standoff between the Indian Army and China’s PLA. Indian Navy P-8Is also monitored Pakistani Army units during the 2019 Pulwama standoff.
P8I fleet has participated in most exercises carried out in the Indian Ocean Region.
Marine Engines
Marine engines in India are driven by major global and local players providing solutions for commercial vessels, fishing boats, and naval applications. Key manufacturing hubs are located in Pune and Chennai, pushing growth in local production.
Weichai (China) India, based in Pune, offers a wide range of marine commercial engines (54–1650 HP) for tug boats, cargo ships, and fishing vessels.
MVDE (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan) is a leading manufacturer of high-performance diesel engines for fishing boats, ferries, and pleasure craft.
Yanmar (Japan) Engine Manufacturing India (YEMI) manufactures vertical water-cooled diesel engines in Chennai, focusing on high-speed propulsion and auxiliary engines.
Wärtsilä (Finland) India is recognized for efficient, green technology engines for various marine applications. Cummins (USA) India provides engines for commercial vessels, including fishing, passenger, and harbour craft. Turbo Mot Turbo Mot India (MAN Engines German) supplies high-speed marine engines known for compact design and high performance.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) partnered with Rolls-Royce Solutions to manufacture MTU S4000 marine engines in India. Bharat Forge acquired a stake in Zorya Masperate India to indigenize the repair and production of gas turbine engines for the Indian Navy. Clearly, India needs to expand marine engine construction for larger naval ships to reduce import dependency.
With 54 naval vessels under construction, the focus is on scaling up indigenous manufacturing. The Indian Navy has initiated, in collaboration with Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited, the design and development of a 6MW marine diesel engine, aiming for an indigenous content of over 50 percent. The sector is expected to create potentially 2.5 million direct and indirect jobs.
Expanding domestic marine engine manufacturing is vital to India’s maritime sovereignty, ensuring that ships built in India also have indigenous propulsion systems. India aims to be among the top five shipbuilders by 2047.
To Summarise
India is prioritizing domestic marine engine manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, with over 90 percent of engines above 6 MW currently imported from Germany, Finland, the UK, the US, and Japan.
Expanding this sector is crucial to the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative and to avoiding strategic, technical, and logistical bottlenecks in building a projected fleet of over 200 naval ships by 2035.
The Indian Navy has to cover a very large area of the Indian Ocean. P8I is an important maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare asset for the Indian Navy.
The purchase of additional aircraft is very important. Defence acquisitions are an important part of the trade deal being worked out between the US and India. P8I fits the bill on all counts.
India’s capability to produce global-class aerostructures has been proven through the cabins of the Apache AH-64, Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
India also makes Lockheed Martin F-16 wings. India makes the entire indigenous LCA. Making the Rafale in India will cost France much less.
Made-in-India F4 and F5 will support learning for India’s AMCA program, which will also be imbued with sixth-generation technologies. India will insist on achieving over 60 percent indigenous content at the earliest.
The same will be possible, as the fuselage and many subsystems and components will be manufactured in India. Dassault Aviation has already partnered with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to manufacture Rafale fuselage sections in Hyderabad, with a targeted production of up to 24 airframes annually.
The proposed Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India would substantially reduce lifecycle costs, improve tarmac availability, and secure from supply chain complexities.
Traditionally, India and France have enjoyed an exceptionally warm relationship, the fruit of deep affinities and unwavering trust since India’s independence.
France is considered the most reliable Western “friend”. It will make better operational and economic sense for India to acquire the latest variants, F4 and F5, through a G2G deal and Make in India.
With the Rafale F5 expected to enter service around 2030, India would operate a fighter jet with capabilities remarkably close to those of sixth-generation systems.
Key enhancements include the upgraded M88 T-REX engine, advanced RBE2-XG GaN AESA radar for detecting stealth targets, enhanced SPECTRA EW suite for SEAD/DEAD missions, fiber-optic data buses for high-bandwidth connectivity, and, importantly, integration with loyal-wingman drones, AI-assisted sensor fusion, and network-centric operations.
It will also carry hypersonic munitions like the ASN4G. While lacking full-aspect stealth of dedicated 6th-gen jets, the F5’s drone teaming, superior EW, and processing power deliver many hallmarks of sixth-generation warfare, positioning India’s fleet ahead in contested environments.
- Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retired) is an Indian Air Force veteran, fighter test pilot, and ex-director-general of the Center for Air Power Studies. He has been decorated with gallantry and distinguished service medals during his 40-year tenure in the IAF.
- THIS IS AN OPINION ARTICLE. VIEWS PERSONAL OF THE AUTHOR
- He tweets @Chopsyturvey
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