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Rafale Tsunami: India To Become Global Fighter Jet Hub After Historic IAF Deal
Rafale Tsunami! India Poised To Become Global Production Hub After Historic IAF Deal
Dassault and Tata Advanced Systems to build Rafale fuselages in India for domestic and global orders, marking a historic step in Make-in-India defence manufacturing.
New Delhi: On November 17, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris and announced Ukraine's intention to acquire up to 100 Dassault Rafale fighter jets over the next decade. The move comes as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its defences against Russia's ongoing invasion.
In addition to the Rafale jets, the deal also includes air defence systems, precision munitions and drones, which were formalised through a letter of intent signed with both nations' flags displayed prominently behind a Rafale aircraft.
Dassault Aviation marked a milestone in October 2025, celebrating the production of its 300th Rafale. To date, there are 533 firm orders for the aircraft from France and export customers such as India, Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the UAE, Serbia and Indonesia. Out of these, 233 aircraft are still pending delivery.
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These numbers do not account for the 100 aircraft Ukraine has expressed interest in, nor the Indian Air Force's proposal for 114 Rafale jets, which is currently under consideration by India's Ministry of Defence. If both deals proceed, the impact on production and global supply will be substantial.
The Rafale production rate has surged from two jets per month in 2024 to three per month in late 2025. Plans are underway to further increase output to four jets per month, raising annual production to 48 aircraft. Expansion at the Mérignac facility in France and new infrastructure in Cergy-Pontoise support this increased capacity.
Dassault is also preparing to manufacture Rafale fuselages in India that could accelerate production and reduce costs for both domestic and international customers.
The Indian Navy has already placed an order for 26 Rafales. If the IAF's 114-aircraft proposal is approved, India would see a full assembly line dedicated to producing “Made-in-India” Rafales, boosting overall production and opening the door to supplying global buyers.
India's Ministry of Defence has received a detailed proposal from the IAF to acquire 114 Rafales in collaboration with Dassault Aviation and Indian aerospace firms. Valued at over Rs 2 lakh crore ($22 billion), the proposal includes more than 60 percent indigenous content. It is slated to go to the Defence Procurement Board, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, for consideration. If approved, it would become the largest defence deal in Indian history.
Choosing Rafale ensures continuity in the fleet while avoiding the complexities of integrating multiple aircraft types. The IAF has inducted 36 Rafales, and the Navy has ordered 26. Approval of 114 more aircraft would raise the total fleet to 176 jets.
Dassault has already partnered with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) to produce fuselages in India at a rate of 25 per year. The indigenous content will gradually increase. Maintenance, repair and overhaul of the M-88 engines will take place in Hyderabad.
Presently operating 29 squadrons against the authorised 42.5, the IAF urgently requires new fighters due to regional threats and the phased retirement of older aircraft like the MiG-21. The upgraded Mirage-2000 and MiG-29 will remain in service for another decade, while the Su-30 MKIs, Rafale and indigenous LCA and AMCA aircraft will form the backbone of India's future fleet.
In June 2025, Dassault and TASL agreed to establish a dedicated facility in Hyderabad for Rafale fuselage manufacturing. This facility will produce the front section, central fuselage, rear section and lateral rear shells. The first fuselage sections are expected to roll out by FY2028, with a capacity of up to two complete fuselages per month. This will be the first time Rafale fuselages are manufactured outside France.
Four Production Transfer Agreements (PTAs) have been signed. The Hyderabad facility will serve as a critical hub for high-precision aerostructure manufacturing. Dassault, with experience delivering over 10,000 military and civil aircraft in more than 90 countries, brings unmatched expertise to the partnership.
French company Safran is partnering with India's DRDO and GTRE to develop India's first jet engine with fully Indian intellectual property. The project will produce a 120 Kilo Newton (kN) engine for the twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), with power increasing to 140 kN over 12 years.
Nine prototype engines will be built, featuring single-crystal blades for superior performance under high stress and temperature. Tata, L&T, Adani Defence and other Indian firms will contribute. This initiative positions India along with the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France as a country capable of indigenous fighter jet engines.
The twin-engine, delta-wing Rafale is an omni-role fighter with stealth features capable of air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance and nuclear deterrence missions. It has served in combat operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq, Syria and recently in Operation Sindoor.
Its advanced avionics, AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare suite and AEROS reconnaissance system make it highly lethal.
The Indian Rafale fleet includes 36 aircraft valued at 7.87 billion pound, with two squadrons at separate airbases. It carries 14 hardpoints capable of handling a 9,500 kg load, equipped with air-to-air missiles like Matra Magic II, MBDA MICA and Meteor, as well as air-to-ground missiles such as SCALP and HAMMER. The upgraded F3R standard ensures interoperability and future upgrade potential with F4 and F5 variants.
India has a strong history of acquiring French aircraft, from the Dassault Ouragan and Mystère IVA in the 1950s to the SEPECAT Jaguar and Mirage 2000. France remains a trusted partner, free of sanction threats or political pressure. Making Rafale in India will reduce costs, expand production and strengthen bilateral aerospace collaboration.
Approval of 114 Make-in-India Rafales will bring India's total order, including the Navy, to 140 aircraft, solidifying the nation as a global Rafale production hub.
Source: ZeeNews
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