New Delhi: India is working on the process of filling the decreasing number of squadrons in the Indian Air Force as soon as possible. For this, India has allowed the production of 97 Tejas-1 Fighter Z and decided to buy Rafale fighter jets from France.
According to the report of Defence News, the Indian Air Force has recommended a government-to-government (G2G) deal to buy 90 Rafale F4 fighter jets directly from France.
Why does India need Rafale jets in a hurry?
During Operation Sindoor, India had attacked deep inside Pakistan with Rafale jets. But India had only 36 Rafales, and the Indian Air Force felt the shortage of aircraft. The number of squadrons of the Indian Air Force is very low. That operation exposed the weak link that the Indian Air Force does not have enough resources to act on multiple fronts simultaneously.
At present, the Air Force is operating with only 31 squadrons, while the need is for 42 squadrons. After the retirement of the last MiG-21 squadrons in September 2025, this number will come down to 29, which will make the situation even more serious.
How advanced is the F4 variant of Rafale?
According to the report of Defence News, the Indian Air Force believes that the direct purchase of 90 additional Rafale F4 aircraft will take the number of Rafale fighter jets to 126. India had expressed the need for this many fighter jets in 2007. The F4 variant of Rafale is much more advanced than the current F3-R variant. It has more powerful AESA radar, an upgraded electronic warfare system and network-sensing warfare capabilities.
The Indian Air Force is also planning to integrate indigenous weapon systems, such as the Astra Mk-2 air-to-air missile and the Rudram series of anti-radiation missiles, on this platform. This will make the Rafale F4 variant even more multirole. India has already signed a deal for 26 Rafale Marines for the Navy, and now, if a deal is made for 90 Rafale F-4s, the Indian Air Force will have the second largest number of Rafales after the French Air Force.
Two-front war against China and Pakistan
If an agreement is reached with France regarding the Rafale fighter jet, then the Rafale aircraft will be manufactured in India under the Make in India programme. The Nagpur-based Dassault-Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) factory already manufactures many components of the Rafale, and it is reported that it can also take over the final assembly.
Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) has recently got the contract to make the entire airframe (fuselage), while French company Safran is planning to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for Rafale engines in India. If the deal is finalised, domestic assembly of engines for Rafale fighter jets is also possible. That is, India’s entire effort is to speed up the domestic aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem. This will help India during the two-front war against China and Pakistan.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Indian Air Force wants to buy 90 ‘Super Rafale’ jets immediately.
- India is working on the process of filling the decreasing number of squadrons in the Indian Air Force as soon as possible.
- India has allowed the production of 97 Tejas-1 Fighter Z and decided to buy Rafale fighter jets from France.
- Indian Air Force has recommended a government-to-government deal to buy 90 Rafale F4 fighter jets directly from France.