Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:34am on 25 May 2026,Monday Defence
The Indian government has finalised a Letter of Request (LoR) to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force and is expected to send it to France within weeks. About 90 aircraft will be manufactured in India through a Dassault Aviation partnership with an Indian company, while the remaining jets will be delivered in fly-away condition. The procurement follows Defence Acquisition Council approval and will proceed through an inter-governmental route. India aims to secure Interface Control Documents to integrate indigenous weapons like Astra and BrahMos-NG. The deal is expected to help address the IAF’s fighter squadron shortfall until indigenous programmes, including LCA Mk2 and AMCA, mature. (PC: The Indian Express)
