India has taken a significant step towards bolstering its air combat capabilities by finalising a Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the acquisition of 114 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft in a deal estimated to be worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore, APA reports.
The LoR, a formal government-to-government communication under the Intergovernmental Agreement framework, is expected to be sent to France in the coming weeks, initiating negotiations for what is set to become India's largest-ever fighter aircraft procurement programme.
Under the proposed agreement, nearly 90 of the 114 Rafale jets will be manufactured in India through a partnership between Dassault Aviation and an Indian company under the government's Make in India initiative. The remaining aircraft will be supplied in fly-away condition from France. Some estimates suggest that 92 aircraft could be built in India, while 22 would be delivered directly from French production facilities.
The programme is expected to feature indigenous content of nearly 50 percent, providing a major boost to India's aerospace manufacturing ecosystem while supporting the government's drive for self-reliance in defence production.
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