New Delhi, January 16 (IANS). In an important step to strengthen India’s defense capabilities, the Defense Procurement Board (DPB) on Friday approved the proposal to purchase 114 Rafale fighter jets from French aircraft manufacturer Dassault.
According to defense sources, now this proposal will be presented for approval in the next Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
Sources further said that the final approval is likely to be given by the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Last year, the Indian Air Force had sent a formal proposal to the Defense Ministry to buy 114 more Rafale fighter jets.
According to sources, India and France can sign the final agreement for 114 fighter jets only next month.
In April last year, India had signed a historic deal worth Rs 63,000 crore with France to buy 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets to further strengthen the Indian Navy.
This purchase will be done under an inter-governmental agreement, which will ensure direct supply of aircraft without any middleman. The agreement has been signed for 22 single-seater jets and four two-seater training aircraft, the delivery of which is expected to be completed by 2031.
In June, Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd signed four production transfer agreements to manufacture Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage in India, an important step towards strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains.
The first fuselage parts are expected to roll off the assembly line in fiscal 2028, and the plant is expected to supply up to two complete fuselages per month.
Tata Advanced Systems will set up a state-of-the-art production plant in Hyderabad to manufacture major structural parts of the Rafale, including the tail section, full tail section, central fuselage and forward section.
–IANS
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