- Rajnath Singh Seeks 50% Indigenous Components in Rafale Deal
- Rafale Fighter Jets Deal With France Focuses on Make in India
Hyderabad: India is set to sign a deal with France for Rafale fighter jets to enhance the combat capability of the three services. In this context, Rajnath Singh gave high priority to manufacturing equipment in India at the Defence Ministers level meeting. Therefore, the focus remained firmly on increasing indigenous production.
Rajnath Singh asked France to ensure that 50 percent of the Rafale fighter jets have indigenous components. He stressed the need for greater participation of Indian industry in the project. Meanwhile, it is understood that the strategic partnership with France includes co design, co development and co production. These aspects are expected to shape the structure of the agreement.
A deal is likely to be signed with France for the supply of 114 Rafale fighter jets. The estimated cost of the deal is Rs. 3.25 lakh crore. In this context, the annual meeting of the Defence Ministers was held in Bengaluru. During the meeting, Rajnath Singh discussed manufacturing in India. He highlighted the importance of strengthening domestic defence production.
Relevant sources revealed that the deal should mostly include Make in India equipment. They also indicated that technology transfer to Indian companies forms a key part of the discussions. Therefore, Indian firms may gain access to advanced defence technologies under the agreement.
It was also said that technical cooperation was discussed in the manufacture of the next generation fighter jet engine. This indicates that future collaboration may extend beyond the current Rafale fighter jets deal. Meanwhile, the emphasis on indigenous components aligns with the broader Make in India initiative. The proposed agreement, if signed, is expected to combine procurement with technology partnership and domestic manufacturing.
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