The Indian Air Force (IAF) is pressing for a direct government-to-government (G2G) agreement with France to acquire 114 additional Rafale fighter jets, bypassing the protracted Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender process that has been pending for nearly eight years.
The MRFA programme, originally valued at over ₹1.2 lakh crore, aims to strengthen the IAF with advanced multirole combat aircraft, most of which would be produced domestically under foreign partnership as part of the “Make in India” initiative.
IAF’s urgency stems from the success of Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, a brief conflict with Pakistan, and the looming drop in squadron numbers as MiG-21 aircraft retire next month. With only 31 operational squadrons — set to fall to 29 — the IAF is far short of its sanctioned strength of 42.5, a gap that poses a challenge amid heightened threats from China and Pakistan. Notably, China is expected to supply Pakistan with at least 40 fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighters.
The air force believes a direct deal with France is more cost-efficient and logistically practical, as Rafale squadrons already operate from Ambala and Hasimara bases with established infrastructure, training, and maintenance facilities. This approach would also ensure platform commonality with the Indian Navy, which is due to receive 26 Rafale-M jets for carrier operations by 2028–2030.
A G2G agreement would accelerate delivery timelines compared to an open global tender, enabling faster replenishment of depleted combat strength. Alongside the Rafale acquisition, the IAF is also exploring options for two to three squadrons of fifth-generation fighters — considering platforms like Russia’s Su-57 and the US F-35 — until India’s indigenous AMCA project becomes operational by 2035, though no formal talks have been initiated yet.
