Rajnath Singh-Led DAC Clears Rs 3.25 Lakh Crore Rafale Deal, Approves 6 More P-8I Aircraft

New Delhi: In a major push to India’s military modernisation, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the long-awaited Medium Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, clearing the proposal to procure 114 Rafale multirole fighter jets from France at an estimated cost of Rs 3.25 lakh crore.

The decision was taken at a high-level DAC meeting convened to consider a series of big-ticket defence procurements ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India for the Artificial Intelligence Summit from February 16 to 20, underscoring the strategic dimension of the move.

Under the cleared proposal, 18 of the 114 Rafale jets will be procured in fly-away condition, while the remaining aircraft will be manufactured in India with up to 60% indigenous content. Officials indicated that around 80% of the jets planned under the deal are expected to be produced domestically, aligning with India’s push to strengthen local defence manufacturing and technology transfer.

The high-level meeting comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to India from February 17 to 20 for an Artificial Intelligence summit, adding strategic significance to the timing of the discussions. In addition to the fighter jet proposal, the DAC is likely to review several other high-value defence projects.

Alongside the MRFA clearance, the DAC also approved the procurement of six additional P-8I maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, aimed at boosting India’s surveillance capabilities across the Indian Ocean region.

The Rafale acquisition-widely described in defence circles as potentially the largest military hardware deal ever pursued by India-marks a critical step toward addressing the Indian Air Force’s squadron strength requirements while deepening defence cooperation with France.

The council’s decisions are seen as part of a broader effort to accelerate capability upgrades across the armed forces through a mix of strategic imports and domestic production, signalling a renewed focus on operational preparedness and long-term defence self-reliance.

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