{"id":26293481,"date":"2026-10-03T10:47:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T08:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/india-114-rafale-deal-decision-year-end-indian-weapons-no-fifth-gen-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:47:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T08:47:43","slug":"india-114-rafale-deal-decision-year-end-indian-weapons-no-fifth-gen-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/india-114-rafale-deal-decision-year-end-indian-weapons-no-fifth-gen-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"114 Rafale Deal: India Expects a Decision by Year-End"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on 1 October that the bids for 114 more <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/rafale\/\">Dassault Rafale<\/a> jets for the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/indian-air-force\/\">Indian Air Force<\/a> are being evaluated, and that New Delhi expects to reach a conclusion before the end of this year.<\/p>\n<p>He added two details that matter almost as much as the timeline. Dassault has agreed to integrate Indian weapons on the aircraft. And India has not decided to buy any foreign fifth-generation fighter, closing the door, for now, on both the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Programme:<\/strong> 114 additional Dassault Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Status:<\/strong> Bids under evaluation after the request for proposals<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Timeline:<\/strong> \"Some conclusion\" before the end of this year, per the Defence Secretary<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Model:<\/strong> Buy-and-make, with most aircraft assembled in India<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Weapons:<\/strong> Dassault has agreed to integrate Indian weapons and systems<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Fifth-generation:<\/strong> No decision to buy a foreign fifth-generation fighter<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Tejas Mk2:<\/strong> First flight now expected in mid-2027<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Said:<\/strong> 1 October 2026, to the ANI news agency<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the Defence Secretary said<\/h2>\n<p>Singh made the comments to ANI. The Rafale buy is structured as a buy-and-make programme, with the bulk of the aircraft assembled in India and what he called significant levels of indigenisation.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;The bids are being evaluated. We should be able to reach some conclusion before the end of this year.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Rajesh Kumar Singh<\/strong> &mdash; Defence Secretary of India, speaking to ANI on 1 October 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Indian reports differ on whether \"the end of this year\" means December 2026 or the end of India's financial year in March 2027. Either way, it would move the programme from approval to contract in roughly a year.<\/p>\n<p>The deal has been moving steadily through New Delhi's procurement machinery. In February 2026 India's Defence Acquisition Council approved the requirement, and a letter of request to France followed in June.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/indian-air-force-rafale-101-squadron-hasimara.jpg\" alt=\"Indian Air Force Rafale of No. 101 Squadron landing at Hasimara\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An Indian Air Force Rafale of No. 101 Squadron lands at Hasimara. India already operates 36 Rafales. Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government of India<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Indian weapons on a French jet<\/h2>\n<p>The weapons point is the political centrepiece. India wants its own missiles and bombs on the aircraft, rather than depending entirely on French weapons and French permission to integrate anything else.<\/p>\n<p>Access to the Rafale's systems has been a sticking point. In August, reports said the talks had run into a dispute over source code, which India wants in order to integrate its own weapons and sensors. Singh's statement suggests that, at least on weapons integration, the two sides have found a way through.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">No foreign fifth-generation jet<\/h2>\n<p>Singh was equally clear on the other big question in Indian air power.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;As of now, we haven't taken a decision to go in for any global or outside fifth-generation aircraft.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Rajesh Kumar Singh<\/strong> &mdash; Defence Secretary of India, to ANI<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Russia has openly offered India the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/su-57-felon\/\">Su-57<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-35-lightning-ii\/\">F-35<\/a> has been floated in US-India talks. India instead is putting its weight behind its own AMCA stealth fighter, whose development partners are now responding to requests for proposals, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/hal-tejas\/\">Tejas<\/a> family. The Tejas Mk2, the heavier development of the light fighter, is now expected to make its first flight in mid-2027.<\/p>\n<p>The 114 Rafales are meant to fill the gap until those programmes deliver. With the Indian Air Force well below its sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons, the gap is real, and the end of the year is not very far away.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_rY5hG8TKIg\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<p><em>Sources: ANI, The Tribune, The News Mill, Naval News, Asian Military Review<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>When will India sign the 114 Rafale deal?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on 1 October 2026 that the bids for 114 additional Rafales are being evaluated and that India should reach a conclusion before the end of this year. Indian reports differ on whether that means December 2026 or the end of the financial year in March 2027.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Will the new Indian Rafales carry Indian weapons?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. According to the Defence Secretary, Dassault has agreed to integrate Indian weapons and systems on the 114 Rafales, which will be built under a buy-and-make programme with most aircraft assembled in India.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is India buying the Su-57 or the F-35?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Not for now. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on 1 October 2026 that India has not taken a decision to buy any foreign fifth-generation fighter. India is prioritising its own AMCA stealth fighter programme.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many Rafales does India already have?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">India already operates 36 Rafales, ordered in 2016 and flown by No. 17 Squadron at Ambala and No. 101 Squadron at Hasimara. The 114-jet programme would add a much larger second batch.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When will the Tejas Mk2 fly?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">According to Indian officials, the first flight of the HAL Tejas Mk2 is now expected in mid-2027. The initial requirement is reported to be around 120 aircraft.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When will India sign the 114 Rafale deal?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on 1 October 2026 that the bids for 114 additional Rafales are being evaluated and that India should reach a conclusion before the end of this year. 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The initial requirement is reported to be around 120 aircraft.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/france-114-rafale-mrfa-india-offer\/\">France Puts 114 Rafales on India's Table<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/india-rafale-mrfa-source-code-dispute-france-2026\/\">India's Rafale Deal Hits a Firewall<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/iaf-vice-chief-questions-tejas-mk-2-2026\/\">A Top Airman Questions the Tejas Mk-2<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/embraer-mahindra-nagpur-c-390-assembly-line-2026\/\">Embraer and Mahindra Earmark Nagpur for a C-390 Assembly Line<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s Defence Secretary says a decision on 114 more Rafales is due before year-end, Dassault will integrate Indian weapons, and no foreign fifth-gen jet is planned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":26293420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26293481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - 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