By Admin 
The Defense Ministry on Friday (January 16, 2026) approved the manufacture of 114 Rafale fighter jets in the country for the Indian Air Force. French President Emmanuel Macron is going to visit India next month and it is expected that an announcement will be made then. The total value of this deal can be Rs 3.25 lakh crore, which can be the biggest defense deal in the country. Like 36 Rafale, this will also be a G2G i.e. government to government deal. Currently, the deal will have to go through a lengthy process, which includes approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
114 Rafale fighter jets will be made in India only
114 Rafale fighter jets from French aircraft manufacturer Dassault will be manufactured in the country under Make in India. Last year, the Indian Air Force had sent a formal proposal to the Defense Ministry to purchase 114 more Rafale fighter jets. India and France can sign the final agreement for 114 fighter jets only next month. In April 2025, to give more strength to the Indian Navy, India had signed a historic agreement of Rs 63,000 crore with France to buy 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets.
When will the Navy get Rafale-Marine fighter jet?
This purchase will be done under Inter-Governmental Agreements, which will ensure direct supply of aircraft without any middleman. Under this, an agreement has been signed for 22 single-seater jets and four two-seater training aircraft, the supply of which is expected to be completed by 2031. Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd in June last year signed four agreements to manufacture Rafale fighter aircraft in India, an important step towards strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting the global supply chain.
The main body of the Rafale fighter jet, which is called the fuselage, will now be made in Hyderabad. The fuselage unit will come off the assembly line in 2028. The manufacturing plant is expected to produce two complete main bodies every month.