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India's 114 Rafale Deal Nears Completion, Dassault Agrees to Integrate Indian Weapons
M
Moneycontrol•01-10-2026, 21:59
India's 114 Rafale Deal Nears Completion, Dassault Agrees to Integrate Indian Weapons
- •India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announced that the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets is expected to conclude by the end of the financial year.
- •Dassault has agreed to integrate Indian weapons into the new Rafale jets and even into the previously contracted Rafale Marines.
- •The new deal emphasizes higher indigenization, with the bulk of the aircraft to be assembled in India and significant integration of Indian systems.
- •Bids for weapon integration are currently undergoing formal assessment, with a conclusion anticipated before the end of the year.
- •Other domestic aviation programs, including the LCA Mk2 and AMCA, are also progressing, with the LCA Mk2's first flight scheduled for mid-next year.
Key Questions Answered
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh stated that India's plan to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets is likely to reach a conclusion before the end of the financial year.
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 project is moving towards initial flight trials scheduled for the middle of next year under a public-private partnership framework.
India has not made a decision to join any global or outside fifth-generation fighter aircraft program, and its focus remains entirely on the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
