India to receive delivery of 90 new Rafale F4 fighter jets

The report further states that the agreement between India and France will include the delivery of 90 new Rafale F4 fighter jets to India in the short and medium term. In addition, the 36 Rafale fighter jets currently with the Indian Air Force will be upgraded to the F4 variant. This upgrade will be similar to the upgrade of the existing variants of the French Air Force and the French Navy to the F4 variant. The report states that this will be the first phase of the contract. The second phase will be a medium- and long-term contract, which will include a batch of 24 Rafale F5s, which will be manufactured in France by Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale F5 issue is still unresolved

According to French media reports, some issues between India and France regarding the F5 Rafale are still unresolved. There are obstacles regarding whether India can upgrade its newly delivered Rafale F4s to the F5 standard itself. It is also unclear whether the older Rafale F3s, which will be upgraded to the F4 standard, can also be upgraded to the F5 standard. This matter is not yet entirely clear.

Emmanuel Macron’s India Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron will visit India in February, where he will participate in the AI ​​Impact Summit. The summit will run from February 16th to 20th, and during this time, an agreement between India and France regarding the Rafale fighter jets is expected to be signed. According to a report by news agency ANI, India and France are finalizing a deal worth ₹3.25 lakh crore for 114 Rafale jets. This deal would be worth more than $36 billion. However, French media has stated that the exact price of the deal has not yet been officially disclosed, but they claim it will be so large that it will boost France’s GDP by a few percentage points.

The multi-role Rafale jets, known for their capabilities in air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions, will help address the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) squadron shortages amidst regional security challenges.

The formal contract is expected to be signed by the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027, making India a major Rafale production hub through technology transfer, although essential software elements will remain under French control. This follows India’s purchase of 36 Rafales in 2016, which have since been inducted into service.

French media has also reported that the Indian Air Force has effectively used the Rafale fighter jets against Pakistan, and the confidence of Air Force officials in the Rafale has increased significantly.

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A Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Tejas aircraft crashed during a showcase at Al Maktoum International Airport on the last day of the Dubai Airshow, the IAF confirmed. The pilot also suffered fatal injuries.

What the IAF Said
Confirming the incident in a post on X, the IAF said that a court of inquiry is being set up to determine the cause of the fatal crash.

The IAF said, “An IAF Tejas aircraft crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of grief. A court of inquiry is being set up to determine the cause of the accident.

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The AMCA will combine fifth-generation stealth technology with elements of 5.5 and even sixth-generation advancements, making it an ideal aircraft for modern warfare.
The project is estimated to cost around ₹15,000 crore. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will lead the AMCA project in collaboration with private industry partners.

While the Defence Ministry has not given any exact timeline, it is expected that the AMCA will be ready by 2031 and fly by 2035.

“As a significant step towards enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme execution model,” it said.

The AMCA is expected to have several state-of-the-art features such as sensor fusion, internal weapon bay, advanced avionics and supercruise capability.

A 25-tonne twin-engine aircraft, the AMCA will have an internal fuel tank of 6.5 tonnes capacity. Its advanced stealth features will enable it to take on new and developing challenges in modern warfare.

The fifth-generation stealth fighter jet will have an electronic pilot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced decision-making. According to a report, it also features a Netcentric Warfare System for real-time combat coordination, an internal weapon bay for multiple weapons and integrated vehicle health management for predictive maintenance. The fighter jet will also assist in complex combat situations and provide seamless coordination with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to a report in the Indian Express, the internal weapon bay can house four long-range air-to-air missiles with a payload of 1,500 kg and multiple precision-guided munitions.

The fifth-generation AMCA aircraft are different from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and have a lower electromagnetic signature, making it difficult for enemy radars to detect.

With the AMCA, India has joined the elite list of countries that have developed fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft. The United States has the F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II, China has the J-20 Mighty Dragon and Russia has the Sukhoi Su-57.

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In March 2020, nearly 10 months after the Defense Acquisition Council, the CCS approval chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi fixed the purchase of 83 more upgraded Mark 1A versions of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

Confirming the development, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said “the largest indigenous defense procurement deal of around Rs 48,000 crore” will strengthen the fleet of indigenous fighter jet ‘LCA-Tejas’ of the Indian Air Force fleet. “The deal will be a game-changer for self-reliance in Indian defense manufacturing,” he added in a tweet.

The purchase is in addition to an earlier deal to purchase 40 of the fighter aircraft and locally manufactured jets are scheduled to join the Indian Air Force fleet during the next six to seven years.

The ratification by CCS paves the way for the signing of the contract, which is expected to take place during the Aero India Defense Expo next month.

The Jet’s Mark A1 version will have 43 improvements compared to the initial version, including major improvements to increase operational efficiency.

These include easy maintenance, active electronically scanned array radar, electronic warfare suits, and beyond-visual-range missile capabilities, which will include the Indian-made air-to-air missile weapon Mark 1. It will also have the capability to carry long-range missiles.

The Indian Air Force plans to switch to the locally manufactured Tejas, LCA Mark 1A, three years later after it floated a tender from international producers for 114 aircraft.

India invited bids for the purchase of 114 jets in 2018, attracting $ 15 billion in offers from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Saab AB of Sweden. This comes as a sign that the country wants to give up expensive defense purchases from abroad.

According to an earlier statement by Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat, the move aims to replace the old fleet of the Indian Air Force and will prove a milestone in India’s bid to start using locally manufactured weapons. Apart from jets, artillery guns, air defense systems, and radars will also be produced indigenously, he said.

The 123 Tejas fighter aircraft to be purchased by the Indian Air Force will be in three different variants, all powered by a common electric engine. So far 20 have been called the initial operational clearance version. Another 20 are called final operational clearance versions. These 123 jets will be followed by the Mark-2 variant which is a medium-weight fighter.

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