DAC Clears 114 Rafales, Additional P-8I Aircraft in Rs 3.60 Lakh Crore Defence Modernisation Boost

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the long-pending Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, which seeks to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force under a government-to-government deal with France.

The highlight of the MRFA deal is that the majority of the Rafale fighters will be produced in India. These aircraft are expected to enhance the Indian Air Force’s air dominance capability across the spectrum of conflict while significantly strengthening its deterrence posture through long-range offensive strike capabilities.

This announcement comes as a significant boost to the Indian Air Force, whose fighter squadron strength is currently estimated at around 29 squadrons—well below the sanctioned target of 42.

The approval for the procurement of the Rafale fighter jets comes just days ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India on February 17.

The Indian Air Force had earlier issued a Request for Information (RFI) to acquire 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft, estimated at around USD 18 billion. At the time, contenders for the programme included Lockheed Martin’s F-21, Boeing’s F/A-18, and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

India’s original MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) tender for 126 fighters was effectively shelved after prolonged negotiations following Rafale’s selection in 2012. It later evolved into the MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) programme, reframed as a fresh plan to procure 114 fighters under a revised acquisition framework.

In addition, the DAC cleared the procurement of Combat Missiles and an Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS), aimed at enhancing stand-off ground attack capability with deep-strike power and very high accuracy. The Ministry of Defence stated that AS-HAPS will be utilised for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Intelligence, telecommunications, and remote sensing for military purposes.

These projects form part of the Rs 3.60 lakh crore worth of Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) approvals granted by the Ministry of Defence on February 12.

The procurement of additional P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy is among the key projects to receive AoN. The major advantage of the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft lies in its long-range anti-submarine warfare and surveillance capabilities, significantly enhancing India’s ability to monitor critical sea lanes and track underwater threats across the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Navy already operates a fleet of P-8I aircraft, and the additional induction will further augment its long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities across the Indian Ocean Region.

Additionally, the ministry granted AoN for four MW Marine Gas Turbine-based Electric Power Generators. According to the ministry, the induction of the four MW Marine Gas Turbine-based Electric Power Generator under the Make-I category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 will reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers and promote self-reliance in meeting the Indian Navy’s power generation requirements.

While projects concerning the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy have drawn significant attention, proposals for the Indian Army and the Coast Guard were also granted AoN. These include the procurement of the indigenous Anti-Tank Mine (Vibhav) system and the overhaul of vehicle platforms for Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs), T-72 tanks, and Infantry Combat Vehicles (BMP-II).

The Vibhav mines are intended to be deployed as part of an anti-tank obstacle system designed to slow or halt the advance of enemy mechanised formations. Meanwhile, the overhaul of ARVs, T-72 tanks, and BMP-II platforms will extend the service life of these critical assets, ensuring sustained operational readiness and enhanced combat effectiveness for the Indian Army.

For the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), AoN was accorded for the procurement of an Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) system for Dornier aircraft. This will enhance the Coast Guard’s maritime surveillance capability and improve overall operational effectiveness.