India has taken a decisive procedural step toward what could become its largest-ever Western fighter acquisition, setting the Rafale on course for a 114-jet expansion that would reshape the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat inventory and deepen New Delhi’s industrial bargaining power with Paris. On February 12, 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity for a Multi Role Fighter Aircraft requirement identified as “MRFA {Rafale}”, alongside associated combat missiles and a high-altitude pseudo-satellite program. In its official communication, the Indian Ministry of Defence presented the move as an operational answer to air-dominance requirements across the spectrum of conflict and, just as importantly, signaled an industrial red line by stating that the majority of the MRFA fleet is to be manufactured in India. Read more...
