India has granted initial approval for a $40 billion military procurement package, including the acquisition of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force and additional Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy.
Approximately 18 aircraft are expected to be delivered in flyaway condition to address near-term operational requirements, with the remainder manufactured in India.
On February 12, 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the deal, along with the purchase of a range of other military hardware, including combat missiles.
An Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was approved for the procurement of Rafale Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA), to join the IAF and “undertake air dominance roles across the spectrum of conflict”.
The majority of MRFA to be procured will be manufactured in India, according to Defense Acquisition Council.
The IAF’s ambition for Rafale jets dates back to a 2007 tender to procure 126 new fighters.
While Dassault’s Rafale was selected in 2012, drawn-out negotiations over production responsibilities and technology transfer led to the deal’s collapse in 2015.
An agreement a year later resulted in a contract between former French President François Hollande and Prime Minister Modi for 36 Rafale fighters, the last of which was delivered in December 2022.
If completed, the order would significantly expand India’s Rafale fleet. The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters, while the navy signed a contract in April for 26 Rafale-Marine variants to equip its aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. A new order for 114 aircraft would take the total Rafale fleet across the services to 176 jets.
The package also includes additional Boeing P-8I maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft for the navy, as well as missiles for the air force and anti-tank weapons for the army, according to the defence ministry. The ministry did not disclose quantities for the P-8I aircraft, but it is understood that six aircraft are planned, bringing the current fleet to 12 jets.
The approvals come as the Indian Air Force’s fighter squadron strength has fallen to about 29, below the previously stated requirement of 42 squadrons. India has recently retired its MiG-21 fleet, and older variants of the MiG-29, Jaguar, and Mirage 2000 are scheduled to be phased out in the coming years.
The news of the purchase comes just days before the current French President, Emmanuel Macron, is due to arrive in India for an official three-day visit.
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