Rajnath May Approve Rs 2.70 Trillion Rafales Today

If approved, the fighters would help the IAF to build its reducing squadrons, especially after the MiG-21 was decommissioned last year.

IMAGE: The first batch of Rafale combat jets enter the Indian air space on its way to the Ambala airbase from France, July 2020. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter

Key Points

The IAF also wants French-made, long-range, air-to-surface Scalp missiles that were used in Operation Sindoor.
High-altitude pseudo-satellites or high-flying objects in the stratosphere are on the wish list.
Army wants more armoured vehicles and more land mines.

The armed forces seem to be looking to receive clearance for a number of purchases, large and small, by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, when it meets in New Delhi on Thursday, according to sources.

Among the big-ticket nods that the services might see or expect to see are 114 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation SA. The fighters are estimated to be priced at around €30 billion (Rs 2.70 trillion) or more. If approved, the fighters would help the Indian Air Force to build its reducing squadrons, especially after the MiG-21 was decommissioned last year.

The submission of wish by the army, the navy and the air force does not automatically translate to clearance by the DAC.

A related transfer of technology from France to India has likely been discussed between the two countries, one source said, adding that indigenous weapons could be fitted into the Rafale jets in the future, so, access to the system would be needed. Indian components might be increasingly used in the jets in the future, too, the source said.

The approval for a number of French-made, long-range, air-to-surface Scalp missiles (reportedly for €300 million) that were also used by India during last year's conflict with Pakistan might be sought for the air force.

In addition, some high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), or, high-flying objects in the stratosphere, are on the wish list.

The army might be looking to get more armoured vehicles or upgrade the existing armoured vehicles and get more land mines.

The navy's purchase of six additional P-81 jets from the United States is 'in process', but dependent on India-US relations.

The government greenlit multiple proposals from the armed forces to buy or lease defence goods worth around Rs 79,000 crore after a DAC held in December.