Rafale deal cleared, India-France to ink agreement on September 23

The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently has 32 fighter squadrons against an authorisation of 42, and many of them, particularly the MiGs, are reaching the end of their service in this decade. Thirty-six Rafales, to be inducted between 2019 and 2023, will make for only two squadrons. This still leaves a huge gap, to be filled by either the indigenous Tejas fighters, or another foreign fighter such as the Swedish Gripen or the American F-16, both of which have offered to ‘Make in India’.

Although there is a follow-up clause in the IGA for buying an additional 18 Rafales, the numbers still fall short of the 126 Rafales India had originally planned to buy under the previous UPA government.

The recent leak of classified documents related to the Scorpene submarine had cast doubts over India’s willingness to do business with France again. However, Defence Minsiter Manohar Parrikar played down the leak, saying it wouldn’t negate the operational usefulness of  the submarines.