The Indian Air Force (IAF) has finalized the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets, with Dassault Aviation offering a deal that includes significant "Make in India" components, according to a report published between 3:01 AM and 6:31 AM UTC on September 13th, 2025. As part of the agreement, Dassault Aviation will assemble the Rafale jets at DRAL facilities, procure entire made-in-India fuselages from TASL, and Safran will assemble and provide Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) for M-88 engines in India. The jets will be in the Rafale F4 configuration with Indian Software and an Indian Weapons Package, including Astra and Rudram family missiles. The deal also allows for future MUMT (Manned-Unmanned Teaming) upgrades and the potential to switch to 120kN engines in the future. Production is expected to commence in India within three years, with an output of 20 jets per year once production is at full capacity. This development follows the IAF's submission of its statement of case to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to acquire the 114 Rafale aircraft, effectively concluding the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRFA) competition. The acquisition is intended to significantly enhance the IAF's combat capabilities.
