India’s long delayed MRFA program is on the cusp of a contract as the government has said 114 Rafale fighter jets are expected to be procured by the end of the current year. This progress is important for the Indian Air Force (IAF), as it aims to upgrade its fighter fleet and address the shortage of operational fighter squadrons.
The latest update comes as the MRFA procurement process is progressing through the formal stages of assessment. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the government is looking to conclude the contract for 114 Rafale aircraft by the end of the financial year. He also said the bids submitted under the Request for Proposal (RFP) process are currently being formalized.
The MRFA programme has been under discussion for a number of years and is intended to provide the IAF with a substantial number of modern multi-role fighter aircraft. The current proposal centers on 114 Rafale jets, and a significant part of all aircraft would be manufactured in India as part of the procurement arrangement.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the MRFA procurement in February 2026. The proposal included the procurement of Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (Rafale) as well as other major capabilities for the Indian Air Force. The ministry said the acquisition aims to develop capabilities of the IAF in air-dominance and long-range strike capability.
A major aspect of the proposed procurement is the focus on domestic manufacturing. Earlier reports on the procurement process indicated that about 90 of the 114 aircraft could be manufactured in India through an arrangement with French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation and an Indian partner, while the rest of the aircraft would be delivered in fly-away condition.
The push for Indian manufacturing is in line with the government’s broader defence-indigenisation strategy. The MRFA programme would result in higher participation from the domestic aerospace and defence industry including manufacturing, maintenance and support activities.
Another important aspect of the latest development is the proposed integration of Indian weapons and systems. The Defence Secretary said France had agreed to integrate Indian weapons even with Rafale Marine aircraft already contracted for the Indian Navy. The government is also seeking a higher level of integration of Indian-made armaments into the Rafale aircraft being considered for the IAF.
India already operates Rafale fighter aircraft with the Indian Air Force. The IAF had 36 Rafale jets under an earlier agreement with France. The Navy had also bought 26 Rafale Marine aircraft for carrier-based operations. The MRFA acquisition would thus significantly expand the number of Rafale aircraft operated by India.
The MRFA programme is also being implemented at the same time as concerns about the IAF fighter squadron strength.
The force is also developing indigenous fighter programs under Tejas Mk1A and the future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). In September 2025, the government signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft for the IAF, including 68 fighters and 29 twin-seat aircraft.
The AMCA programme is aimed at developing India with indigenous fifth-generation fighter capability in the longer term. In May 2026 the Defence Ministry sent out an RFP to shortlisted Indian private sector groups for development of prototypes of the proposed aircraft.
The MRFA procurement therefore forms part of a larger effort to modernise the IAF. While indigenous aircraft programs are being developed, the Rafale acquisition would provide the force with more advanced multi-role fighter capabilities in a shorter duration, provided that the procurement process is completed and the aircraft are delivered shortly thereafter.
The immediate focus is on bids, negotiations and the remaining government approvals required before a final contract can be signed. Defence procurement involves multiple stages, and the latest timeline indicates the government’s target rather than confirmation that the contract has already been concluded.
If the MRFA contract is concluded within the current financial year, it would be an additional step in the IAF’s fighter fleet modernisation programme. The scale of the proposed acquisition, the Indian manufacturing component and integration of domestic weapons could also have implications for India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
For now, the 114-aircraft Rafale procurement is still in the assessment and negotiation phase. The next months will see if the government can complete the remaining stages and move the MRFA programme from procurement process to a signed contract.
