The Indian defence ministry has sent a letter of request to the French government to purchase 114 Rafale fighter jets, aiming to enhance the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.
Negotiations for the government-to-government deal are expected to begin after the French side responds to the Indian request.
The Rafale capability boost is expected to cost around ₹3.25 lakh crore and will involve technical discussions, cost negotiations, and final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The deal comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit France in mid-June for the outreach session of the G7 Summit.
Under the MRFA model being considered, the Rafales will be manufactured in India by the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation and a local partner.
India has already operated 36 Rafale fighter jets bought from France for ₹59,000 crore and has also ordered 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the navy.
