India and France are likely to finalize the purchase of 36 Dassault Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force by end May reports IHS Janes. France is likely to divert Rafale jets from its own military production in order to fulfill India’s urgent requirement for these warplanes.
The French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to travel to India soon to finalize the deal at over $5 billion.
Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Mail Today newspaper that the accounting process for the Rafale jets would be completed within 2-3 months and deliveries would begin in 18 months.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
