New Delhi: India’s proposed 114 Rafale jet deal with France is moving towards the next stage, with France expected to submit its formal response to India’s Letter of Request (LoR) by mid-August 2026. The plan is aimed at strengthening the Indian Air Force (IAF) with additional multi-role fighter aircraft, while a majority of the jets are planned to be manufactured in India. India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) officially approved the procurement proposal in February 2026.
What Is the Latest Update on the India-France Defence Deal
According to the reports, French authorities have sought time until mid-August to provide their official response to India’s Letter of Request for the proposed procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets.
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India reportedly sent the Letter of Request to France in May 2026. Once the French response arrives, the two countries are expected to move forward with negotiations covering price and other important terms of the proposed agreement.
The mid-August response timeline is based on the ANI report and has not yet been separately announced in the official Indian government sources reviewed for this article.
India Officially Approved Rafale Procurement Proposal in February
The proposed acquisition has already crossed an important official stage. On February 12, 2026, India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for several capital acquisition proposals worth an estimated ₹3.60 lakh crore.
For the Indian Air Force, this included approval for the procurement of Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA), identified by the Ministry of Defence as Rafale.
The Ministry of Defence said these fighters would strengthen the IAF’s ability to perform air-dominance missions across different types of conflict. They would also improve deterrence through long-range offensive strike capabilities.
India-France Defence Deal: Majority of the 114 Rafale Jets Are Planned to Be Made in India
One of the most important parts of the proposal is domestic manufacturing. The Ministry of Defence officially stated in February that the majority of the MRFA aircraft to be procured will be manufactured in India.
This could make the programme important not only for the Indian Air Force but also for India’s wider push to increase domestic defence manufacturing.
Dassault aviation, the French manufacturer of Rafale, has also said it is continuing investments under the Make in India policy and intends to manufacture Rafale components locally in the future. The company says the Indian government began direct negotiations for 114 Rafale fighters in 2026 and that part of the potential contract would be fulfilled in India.
Why Does India Want 114 More Rafale Fighters
The Indian government says the proposed MRFA procurement is intended to significantly improve the combat capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the aircraft would strengthen air dominance and provide greater long-range offensive strike capability. The procurement comes as India continues to modernise its fighter fleet and increase domestic defence production. If completed, an order of 114 aircraft would represent a major expansion of India’s Rafale fleet.
India Already Operates Rafale Fighter Jets
Rafale is not new to the Indian Air Force. India and France signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement in September 2016 for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition.
India has since expanded its Rafale programme beyond the Air Force. In April 2025, India and France signed another Inter-Governmental Agreement for 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy. The order includes 22 single-seat and four twin-seat aircraft.
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