By Admin 
Make in India Rafale deal has gained momentum after the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron (16-19 February). A proposal regarding the deal will soon be sent from the Defense Ministry to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) so that the deal can be signed in the next 4-6 months.
According to top sources of the Defense Ministry, the timeline of the procurement process of Rafale as well as other weapons will be shortened so that fighter aircraft and other weapons can be provided as soon as possible. Currently, the process of purchasing any weapon from another country is very long which takes a lot of time.
DAC had given approval to IAF to make fighter aircraft
Before Macron’s visit, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Defense Ministry had approved the manufacture of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft in the country for the Indian Air Force. Rafale is manufactured by France’s Dassault company. In such a situation, Dassault company can establish a new Rafale plant in the country in collaboration with an Indian company.
It is believed that Dassault can sign this agreement with Tata company because both the companies already produce some airframes of Rafale together in Hyderabad. In such a situation, it is quite possible that this plant can be set up in Hyderabad or Nagpur because Dassault Company already has an aviation plant in Nagpur.
After DAC, the deal proposal is sent to CCS and Finance Ministry. Only after that there is a possibility of a deal with France. Indian Air Force will be able to get Make in India Rafale by the year 2029. In such a situation, it is quite possible that 16 out of 114 aircraft will be purchased directly from Dassault Company.
India had signed a deal to buy 36 Rafale from France in 2016.
In the year 2016, India had decided to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft directly from France, its total cost was about Rs 59 thousand crores. In April last year, India had signed an agreement to purchase the marine version of Rafale fighter planes i.e. Rafale (M) for the Navy. These Rafale (M) fighter planes will be deployed on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
In view of the decreasing squadron, the Indian Air Force had submitted a proposal to the Defense Ministry to manufacture 114 Rafale fighter jets in the country. Like the previous Rafale deal, this deal will also be a G2G i.e. Government to Government agreement. After the agreement, the French company Dassault (Dassault), which manufactures Rafale, will set up a manufacturing plant in the country (in India) with an indigenous company. The indigenous Rafale fighter jet to be manufactured in India will have about 60 percent indigenous weapons and equipment.
Considering the operational capabilities of the existing Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, it was decided to manufacture French fighter aircraft under Make in India.
India also made a deal for Rafale marine version last year
In the month of April last year itself, India had signed a deal with France for 26 marine versions of Rafale for the Navy, which was worth about Rs 63 thousand crores. These Rafale (M) aircraft will be purchased to be deployed on the Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The first Rafale marine aircraft will also be available to the Navy only by 2028.