India moves to buy 114 French Rafale jets despite setback against Pakistan

India, still reeling from a recent military setback against Pakistan, has approved the purchase of 114 French-made Rafale fighter jets, Bloomberg reported, signalling a renewed push to modernise its air force and assert regional military dominance.

According to anonymous senior Indian officials cited by Bloomberg, the Defence Procurement Board has cleared the proposal to acquire the jets from Dassault Aviation, including plans for joint production in India.

 While some units will be assembled in France, the majority will be manufactured domestically, transferring advanced technology to Indian partners.

The move marks a dramatic revival of India’s Rafale programme, years after a 2015 deal for 126 jets was scrapped due to disagreements over production standards in New Delhi.

India already operates 36 Rafales, and earlier this year, it signed a deal to purchase 26 naval versions of the aircraft.

Although Russia remains India’s largest arms supplier, New Delhi has gradually reduced purchases from Moscow in recent years, turning instead toward Western defence technology.

The finalisation of the Rafale deal still requires price negotiations and cabinet approval, and the French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit India next month, which could accelerate the process.

Indian defence analysts view the deal as part of a broader strategy to strengthen aerial capabilities in response to regional tensions.