India boosts air force power with 40 new Rafale jets
India plans to purchase 40 additional Rafale jets to strengthen its air force. Here, we provide some background on 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 through 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 visit of the French defense minister.
Discussions between India and France regarding Rafale jets under the MRFA-plus program also include engines for the Indian helicopter program. It is noteworthy that in recent years, India has been shifting away from purchasing weapons from Russia, favoring France and Israel instead. This trend is expected to continue due to the decline of Russia's 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 31 squadrons instead of the approved 42, reports an urgent need to accelerate the acquisition of more fighters. This year, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh emphasized the necessity of introducing 35-40 new fighters annually to replace retiring older aircraft.
Currently, the Indian Air Force (Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) mainly operates heavily modified Su-30 MKI versions (over 200 of them) 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 However, the rest of the fleet consists of older Mirage 2000s, carrier-based MiG-29K, and very outdated MiG-21 and SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft.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, the locally designed HAL Tejas aircraft, has been repeatedly delayed, with only four units delivered in 2024. This makes it necessary for India to fill the gap with imported aircraft.
Rafale — a battle-proven machine from Europe
The Rafale is a multi-role aircraft that has been tested in combat in Syria, Libya, and Mali. It has been well-received by Indian air force pilots, so the desire to acquire more aircraft, which would also be 95% compatible with the navy's jets, is understandable.
The Rafale features excellent maneuverability and a range of advanced sensors, including an IRST system and a modern radar with AESA (active electronically scanned array) technology. Additionally, it can carry over 20,000 pounds of armaments on 14 or 13 pylons (the naval version has one less).
The arsenal includes advanced long-range air-to-air missiles like Meteor, short-to-medium range air-to-air missiles MICA (equipped 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 increases capabilities even though the Rafale is not a stealth aircraft. For instance, AASM Hammer bombs allow for attacking targets from distances of up to 9 miles, even when dropped from low altitude, and the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles can reach ranges of up to 125 miles.
