JAKARTA - India has submitted a request letter to France for the purchase of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
In January, the Indian Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) gave initial approval for the purchase of 114 Rafale jets, consisting of 88 single-seat variants and 26 double-seat variants.
Reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Tuesday, June 2, the agreement is expected to help the Indian Air Force meet the needs of the 4+ generation multirole fighter aircraft as well as increase the strength of the squadron.
According to reports, the request letter was sent to the French side last week. Paris is expected to respond within two to three months.
The two countries also plan to complete contract negotiations within the next year. The value of the transaction is estimated to reach around US$34 billion (around Rp606.9 trillion).
The report said 94 of the 114 fighter jets would be produced in India by Dassault Aviation, in collaboration with local manufacturers. The issue of purchasing the fighter jets is also expected to be discussed during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France in mid-June.
The report also noted that if combined with other Rafale orders previously submitted by India, the total order for the aircraft would reach 176 units.
With the acquisition, India will operate the largest Rafale fleet outside France. The Indian Air Force is expected to have 150 Rafale jets, while the Indian Navy will operate 26 units that have been modified for use on aircraft carriers.
In addition, Dassault Aviation is reportedly building an aircraft maintenance and repair facility in India and is committed to making the South Asian country a production and maintenance center for Rafale aircraft in the region.
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