Among the big nods the services could see or expect are 114 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation SA. The price of the fighter jets is estimated at around €30 billion (₹2.70 trillion) or more. If approved, the fighters would help the Indian Air Force build up its dwindling squadrons, especially after the MiG-21 was retired last year.
Submitting a wish Army, Navy, and Air Force lists do not automatically translate into DAC approval.
A related transfer of technology from France to India is likely to have been discussed between the two countries, a source said, adding that indigenous weapons could be fitted to the Rafale jets in the future, so access to the system would be needed. Indian components could also be increasingly used in the jets in the future, the source said.
Approval for a number of French-made long-range air-to-surface scalp missiles (reportedly costing €300 million) that were also used by India during last year’s conflict with Pakistan could be sought from the air force. Additionally, some high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), or high-flying objects in the stratosphere, are on the wish list.
The military may want to purchase more armored vehicles or upgrade existing armored vehicles and purchase more landmines.
The Navy’s purchase of six additional P-81 jets from the United States is ‘in progress’ but depends on India-US relations.
The government, after a DAC in December, approved several proposals from the armed forces to buy or lease defense assets worth around ₹79,000 crore.
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