Rafale rally: IAF accelerates push for new fighter jets to boost squadron strength amid China-Pak threat
Indian Air Force
(IAF) is actively pushing for a
government-to-government agreement
with France to acquire additional
Rafale fighter jets
under the long-pending
Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft
(MRFA) programme, reported TOI on Monday.
The project envisions procuring 114 jets, most of which are intended to be manufactured domestically through foreign collaboration.
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According to TOI defence sources, the IAF plans to submit the MRFA case for the initial Acceptance of Necessity (AoN)—the first crucial step in the procurement process—to the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh within the next one to two months.
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"Government will take the final decision when the MRFA case comes to DAC. But yes, IAF has projected an urgent need for additional Rafales to stem the depletion in the number of its fighter squadrons," a source told the news outlet.
While the final decision rests with the government once the case reaches the DAC, the reported noted that the IAF has stressed the urgent requirement for more Rafales to address the decline in its fighter squadron strength.
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Strategic & logistical advantages
The IAF also projects a need for two to three squadrons of fifth-generation fighters—considering options like Russia's Sukhoi-57 and America's F-35—until the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) becomes production-ready by 2035.
However, no formal discussions have yet begun with either Russia or the US, TOI further reported.
Officials argue that acquiring additional Rafales via a government-to-government route under the MRFA scheme would be economically and logistically more sensible and faster than launching a global tender.
The existing infrastructure at the Ambala and Hasimara air bases, which currently house 36 Rafales procured under a Rs 59,000 crore inter-governmental deal signed in September 2016, can accommodate at least one more squadron each.
"Both air bases already have the infrastructure and storage capacity to base at least one more Rafale squadron each," the source told TOI.
Additionally, the report states that the Indian Navy is slated to receive 26 Rafale-Marine jets for operations from the INS Vikrant between 2028 and 2030 under a separate Rs 63,887 crore contract with France signed in April.
Expanding the Rafale fleet would promote platform commonality and simplify logistics across the armed forces.
This push aligns with a recent high-level committee report led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, which outlined a comprehensive plan to accelerate the IAF's capability enhancement through increased private sector involvement alongside DRDO and defence public sector units.
Operational pressure
The IAF's renewed demand for Rafales follows the recent
Operation Sindoor
(May 7–10), during which Rafales played a key role in conducting long-range strikes across the Pakistan border.
Despite Pakistan's claims of shooting down six IAF jets, including three Rafales, India has denied such losses.
During the operation, Pakistan deployed Chinese-origin J-10 fighters equipped with PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles with ranges exceeding 200 km.
Currently, the IAF operates 31 fighter squadrons, each with 16-18 jets, a number expected to fall to a record low of 29 after the imminent retirement of MiG-21 aircraft next month.
According to TOI, this is significantly below the authorised strength of 42.5 squadrons required to counter threats from China and Pakistan—especially with China expected to supply Pakistan with approximately 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighters in the near future.
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