India deepens defense ties with France with Rafale jet boost
India plans to purchase 40 additional Rafale jets to strengthen its air force. Here, we explore the background of Indo-French cooperation and the performance of these aircraft.
As reported by the portal BharatShakti, India is preparing to purchase 40 more Rafale fighters from France under an intergovernmental agreement. This process is expected to run parallel to the contract for 26 naval variants of the Rafale-M, which is set to be signed at the end of April 2025 during the French defense minister's visit.
Discussions between India and France regarding Rafale jets under the MRFA-plus program also include engines for the Indian helicopter program. It's worth mentioning that in recent years, India has been shifting away from purchasing weapons from Russia, mainly preferring France and Israel. This trend is expected to continue due to Russia's declining position in international arms trade and regional competition between India, China, and Pakistan.
Indian Air Force — demand for aircraft drastically exceeds supply
The Indian Air Force, currently operating with 31 squadrons instead of the approved 42, reports the need to accelerate the acquisition of more fighters. This year, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh emphasized the necessity to introduce 35-40 new fighters annually to compensate for the retirement of older aircraft.
Currently, the Indian Air Force (Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) primarily uses heavily modified Su-30 MKI versions (over 200 aircraft) and 36 Rafale jets. However, the rest of the fleet consists of older Mirage 2000s, carrier-based MiG-29K, and very outdated MiG-21 and SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft. Meanwhile, the delivery of their successor in the form of the locally designed HAL Tejas aircraft has been repeatedly delayed, with only four units delivered in 2024. This necessitates India filling the gap with imported aircraft.
Rafale — a battle-proven machine from Europe
Rafale is a multi-role aircraft tested in combat in Syria, Libya, and Mali, which has also been well-received by Indian air force pilots. The desire to acquire more aircraft, which would also be 95% compatible with the navy's jets, is understandable.
Rafale boasts excellent maneuverability and a suite of advanced sensors, including an IRST system and a modern radar with AESA (active electronically scanned array) technology. Additionally, it can carry over 9,000 kilograms of armaments on 14 or 13 pylons (the naval version has one less).
The arsenal includes advanced long-range air-to-air missiles Meteor, short/medium-range air-to-air missiles MICA (with radar RF or imaging infrared seeker IIR guidance), anti-ship AM 39-Exocet, Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles, guided AASM Hammer bombs, and ASMP-A with a thermonuclear warhead. However, the last option is reserved exclusively for France.
This is a highly effective arsenal that significantly enhances capabilities even though it is not a stealth aircraft. For instance, AASM Hammer bombs allow for attacking targets from distances of up to 15 kilometres even when dropped from low altitude, or the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles with ranges that can reach up to 200 kilometres.
