New Delhi: India may be looking at a major expansion of its Rafael fleet with a French media report claiming that New Delhi has sought additional Rafael Marine fighter jets beyond the recently cleared 114-aircraft deal for Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to a report by French publication La Tribune, India has approached France for 31 more Rafale-M jets for the Indian Navy. If the proposal moves forward, India’s total Rafale orders could rise to 145 aircraft. However, there has been no official confirmation from the Indian government on the report.
India has already signed two contracts with Dassault Aviation for 62 Rafale jets- 36 for the IAF under a 2016 deal and 26 naval variants cleared in April 2025.
Navy’s long-standing requirement
The Indian Navy had identified the need for carrier-based fighters several years ago and is said to have projected a requirement for 31 additional Rafale Marine aircraft. If the expanded order is approved, the Navy could operate as many as 57 Rafales, more than France’s own fleet of naval variants.
The Rafale-M jets are expected to operate mainly from INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, and possibly from INS Vikramaditya. Plans for a third aircraft carrier could further increase demand in the coming years.
114-jet IAF deal cleared
The development comes days after India cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale jets under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme through a government-to-government route with France. The project is estimated to cost between Rs 2.90 lakh crore and Rs 3.15 lakh crore, making it one of India’s biggest defence purchases.
Under the plan, 18 jets will be delivered in fly-away condition while the remaining aircraft will be manufactured in India in phases with over 50 per cent indigenous content.
The Rafales are expected to be equipped with advanced weaponry including the Meteor air-to-air missile and the Scalp cruise missile, produced by European defence major MBDA.
The push to strengthen the fleet comes at a time when the IAF’s squadron strength has fallen to 31, well below the sanctioned 42. With French President Emmanuel Macron set to visit India soon, further defence cooperation could be high on the agenda.