Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has formally refuted recent media speculation claiming that the state-owned aerospace major has been finalised as the Indian production partner for the procurement of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
The clarification was issued in response to a report published by The Times of India on 13 February 2026. The report, describing the acquisition as the "mother of all defence deals," alleged that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had cleared the path for the purchase of 114 Rafale aircraft.
It further detailed that approximately 20 jets would be imported in a 'fly-away' condition for induction by 2030, while the remaining fighters would be manufactured domestically through a joint venture between Dassault Aviation and HAL.
In a filing to the stock exchanges, HAL categorically stated that it has received no such intimation. "We would like to clarify that the Company did not receive any such official communication from the Ministry of Defence or Dassault in this regard," the statement read.
HAL emphasised that, at this stage, it has not been formally apprised of any role in the production structure for the proposed mega-contract.
This development follows the recent approval by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹3.6 lakh crore ($40 billion).
This package reportedly includes the 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) to address the Indian Air Force's depleting squadron strength, alongside other assets such as long-range maritime patrol aircraft and anti-tank systems.
While HAL has traditionally been the backbone of Indian aerospace manufacturing—producing the Tejas LCA and license-building the Su-30MKI—the structure of the Rafale deal remains a subject of intense industrial competition.
Private sector players have increasingly entered the defence aerospace domain; notably, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) already has an established partnership with Dassault to manufacture Rafale fuselage sections in Nagpur.
The timing of these reports is significant, coinciding with the expected visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India later this month (17–19 February 2026), where defence cooperation is anticipated to be a key agenda item.
Industry experts note that while the 'Make in India' initiative mandates substantial local manufacturing for such large-scale contracts, the selection of an Indian Strategic Partner is a complex process involving extensive technical and commercial negotiations.
HAL’s statement serves as a reminder that until formal contracts are signed and official directives issued by the Ministry of Defence, reports regarding workshare allocation and industrial partnerships remain speculative.
