India finalises 114 Rafale jet proposal worth ₹3.25 lakh crore; Letter of Request to France to be sent soon: Report

May 25, 2026

New Delhi: India is all set to buy 114 more Rafale jets worth Rs 3.25 lakh crore from France in big boost to IAF. In this regard, India has finalised the Letter of Request (LoR) and is expected to send it to France within the next few weeks, a report by Indian Express said. The move from India marks a major step in long-pending plan to strengthen the Air Force fleet and address the shortage in fighter squadrons.

Officials told Indian Express that nearly 90 of the 114 jets would be manufactured in India through a partnership between French aerospace company Dassault Aviation and an Indian firm. The remaining aircraft would arrive in fly-away condition.

Know all about Rafale procurement process

To buy the Rafale fighterjets, the LoR is a formal government-to-government document used to begin procurement under the Foreign Military Sales or Intergovernmental Agreement route. It outlines the required capabilities, quantities and technical specifications. Earlier, the Defence Acquisition Council had cleared the Rafale proposal three months ago, after which the LoR was prepared.

After France responds with details regarding pricing, availability and logistical support, India will formally issue the Request for Proposal. And after negotiations between the two countries, the Cabinet Committee on Security will need to approve the final deal before the contract is signed In this regard, the Centre plans to complete the contract by the end of this year.

Why is India expanding its Rafale fleet?

For the general information, Rafale is considered as India’s quickest route towards strengthening near-term air power capabilities. Moreover, the defence officials believe the aircraft combines rapid induction, combat versatility and strong interoperability.

Reports claimed that Rafales armed with SCALP-EG cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided bombs carried out deep-strike missions while bypassing Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defence systems.

Military officials also called Rafale jets as the “hero” of Operation Sindoor, saying the aircraft completed key operations within 30 minutes while carrying out precision attacks and electronic warfare missions in Pakistan last year.