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As negotiations gather momentum for the Indian Air Force’s proposed acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets, France has offered its clearest signal yet that it is prepared to accommodate New Delhi’s key demands on technology transfer, local manufacturing and the integration of indigenous weapons systems.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France next week, senior French diplomatic sources said the proposed deal is being shaped around India’s Make in India programme and stressed that Paris no longer views defence cooperation with New Delhi through the lens of a traditional buyer-seller relationship.
“Yes, we are comfortable sharing technology and Make in India will be part of the deal,” a French diplomatic source said.
The source added that India’s insistence on integrating home-grown weapons and ammunition onto the aircraft is already part of the ongoing discussions. “Integration of local weapons is also a part of the deal,” the source said.
The remarks come at a critical stage in negotiations after India formally sent a Letter of Request (LoR) to France for the procurement of 114 additional Rafale fighters. The proposed acquisition is expected to become one of the largest combat aircraft programmes in the Indian Air Force’s history. It could significantly deepen strategic and industrial cooperation between the two countries.
Defence and strategic autonomy are expected to be among the central themes when Modi meets French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit.
While French officials declined to discuss specific negotiations, they repeatedly underlined that the relationship has evolved well beyond military acquisitions.
“Our relationship in defence is no longer conceived as a provider-customer relationship. It is now an equal-to-equal partnership that is mutually beneficial,” a diplomatic source said.
The statement reflects a broader transformation in India-France defence ties over the past decade. What began as a conventional arms procurement relationship has steadily expanded into industrial partnerships, technology transfers and joint development initiatives.
Sources described current discussions as “very substantive” and highlighted the growing emphasis on co-development and co-production.
“We have demonstrated over the last decade that French industry is committed to Make in India. This applies equally in the defence sector. The current discussions are taking place entirely within that mindset,” the source said.
India’s requirements for the programme go far beyond the acquisition of aircraft. New Delhi has laid down a set of non-negotiable conditions that include the integration of indigenous weapons, missiles, and secure data links, as well as a significant transfer of technology covering engines, airframes, and avionics.
The proposed deal is expected to be executed under a Make in India framework, with Dassault Aviation partnering with an Indian company to manufacture the aircraft domestically. French aerospace giants Safran and Thales are also expected to play a major role in the technology transfer process.
The integration of Indian weapons, missiles and ammunition across all 114 aircraft is seen as a crucial requirement for the Air Force. Officials say India is also seeking secure data links that would allow the aircraft to communicate seamlessly with indigenous radars, sensors and command-and-control networks.
The localisation effort could eventually result in indigenous content levels of 55-60 per cent once airframe, engine, and avionics manufacturing is established in India.
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters acquired under the 2016 government-to-government agreement with France. The Navy has separately ordered 26 Rafale-M fighters for deployment on aircraft carriers, thereby expanding the Rafale ecosystem across the armed forces.
One factor working in favour of the new programme is the existing infrastructure. A Rafale flight training and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility is operational at the Air Force base in Ambala, with trained manpower, tooling, and logistical support already in place.
Officials say the Air Force has the capacity to immediately absorb two additional squadrons, roughly 36 to 38 aircraft, should deliveries begin.
The new deal is also expected to bring more advanced versions of the aircraft to India. The Air Force currently flies the F3R configuration, the same version used by the French Air Force. However, Dassault has since introduced the upgraded F4 standard and is developing the future F5 variant.
India is understood to be seeking a mix of the F4 and upcoming F5 versions.
The upgrades would significantly enhance the aircraft’s capabilities. They include a next-generation Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with greater detection range, improved resilience against electronic warfare, an enhanced self-protection suite and better long-range threat identification capabilities.
The future variants are also expected to feature stronger satellite connectivity and artificial intelligence-assisted systems designed to improve pilot situational awareness and battlefield decision-making.
French sources also indicated that discussions remain open on future defence technologies and potential cooperation in next-generation combat aviation programmes being developed by France and its European partners.
For New Delhi, the proposed Rafale programme is about much more than adding numbers to the Air Force’s fighter fleet. It is increasingly being viewed as a test case for India’s broader defence manufacturing ambitions, where technology transfer, indigenous production and strategic autonomy are emerging as important as the aircraft themselves.
Huma Siddiqui
