India Could Become Largest Rafale Operator by 2040 with Potential 114 Jets Under MRFA and 31 More Rafale M, Predicts Dassault

India could become a global leader in Rafale fighter jet operation by 2040, potentially surpassing even France, according to projections by Dassault Aviation. This ambitious forecast comes as India steadily expands its Rafale fleet, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) already operating 36 jets and the Indian Navy set to acquire 26 Rafale M naval variants.

Dassault, the French aerospace manufacturer, believes India's Rafale numbers could swell to 176 if the IAF selects the jet for its 114-aircraft Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) competition. The company has offered to manufacture Rafales in India, sweetening the deal with technology transfer and local job creation.

Adding to this, Dassault anticipates further demand from the Indian Navy, potentially for 31 additional Rafale Ms. This would bring India's total to over 200 Rafales, eclipsing the French Navy's current fleet of 46 and potentially even the French Air Force's 185 jets.

This surge in Indian interest follows a period where the Rafale struggled to gain international traction. Despite its advanced capabilities, high costs deterred potential buyers. However, India's 2012 decision to purchase 36 Rafales marked a turning point, boosting the jet's global profile and leading to subsequent orders from countries like the UAE.

Dassault emphasizes the Rafale's versatility and weapon carrying capacity, including Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, SCALP long-range standoff missiles, and Exocet anti-ship missiles. These capabilities are seen as crucial for India to counter regional threats and maintain air superiority.

While the Rafale's high price tag has drawn criticism, Indian Air Force officials maintain that the jet's advanced weaponry and performance justify the cost. They highlight the Rafale's ability to counter threats like Pakistan's AMRAAM missiles and provide India with a long-range strike capability.

The potential expansion of India's Rafale fleet underscores the country's growing defence needs and its ambition to become a major regional power. With Dassault's commitment to local production and technology sharing, the Rafale program could also contribute significantly to India's domestic aerospace industry.

 

[Akshat]

Dude - no innuendos please...In any case none of us are decision makers and if social media postings and opinion could make GOI do things - it is pure fantasy...

Key question is/must be - what is good for Bharat, not France, not US not Russia - this is the core assumption, unless someone is paid by foreign powers or nefarious interests to push narratives...

I am not making any innuendoes. I am speaking plainly.

And what’s good or bad can only be discussed after right facts are with us. If you keep repeating wrong facts and come to a conclusion based on that, then you can never decide what’s good or bad. That only shows that one is trying to push some agenda.

 

[desigandu]

I am not making any innuendoes. I am speaking plainly.

And what’s good or bad can only be discussed after right facts are with us. If you keep repeating wrong facts and come to a conclusion based on that, then you can never decide what’s good or bad. That only shows that one is trying to push some agenda.

Free speech entails speech you may not like or disagree with, but you can’t shut it down…Basic principles of democracy, freedom and rules based system…

Like you others are also free to express their views and opinions…

 

[subrat beura]

No need for MRFA tender at all. Let's LCA Mk1A,II project go on. Simply get engines from Safran for AMCA & make it more advanced than F22 raptor with lasor communication tech.

 

[vyoma]

No way.. mrca will be orca/tedbf. This will be scrapped soon

 

[R. Singh]

Rafale must come with TOT otherwise we should make F-21+ F-36 ! IF Lockheed offer F-21 ,super cruise capable, armed with laser weapons and Hyper sonic missiles, capable fight an win war over Tibet sky we must go for it !

 

[kbn]

I think, we need better engineers with high salaries then only we can achieve anything. The R&D is must for getting good results and present scenarios the MRFA is only dream.

 

[NPK]

Better engineers with high salaries is not the answer to India's lack of a jet engine.
Jet engine manufacturing requires highly specialized metallurgical engineering knowledge. Unfortunately, India's engineering colleges produce engineering graduates oriented towards mathematical disciplines. These graduates are only suitable for writing software. But jet engine manufacturing requires skills in manufacturing engineering and metallurgical/materials engineering.
Please remember that it took the West 25 years (1930-1955) and scores of engineers to develop the jet engine.

 

[NPK]

Privatise HAL "yes". Close DRDO "no". DRDO is the only institution which is doing R&D and has introduced many indigenous tech. Moreover in missiles & radars they are very good. All you want is import more of french products. No DRDO more imports from french, isn't it?

Please remember that once upon a time HAL was a private company! Mr Hirachand Walchand set-up Hindustan Aircraft Limited in 1940 to manufacture aircraft. But the India's Congress Party snatched it away from Mr Hirachand Walchand and renamed it HAL! And you all know the resulting fiasco. Precisely the same was done to Mr JRD Tata by snatching Air India from him with same tragic results. No government in the world is capable of managing an industrial organization in a professional manner. And India is no exception!

 

[NPK]

Rafale must come with TOT otherwise we should make F-21+ F-36 ! IF Lockheed offer F-21 ,super cruise capable, armed with laser weapons and Hyper sonic missiles, capable fight an win war over Tibet sky we must go for it !

All this talk about obtaining full ToT without investing in metallurgical/materials engineering know-how is naive to say the least. And even if you received this expensive ToT on a silver platter, does India possess the manufacturing engineering talent to manage and run such sophisticated manufacturing operations? Countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Russia and the USA combined spent (a) billions of dollars (b) thousands of man-hours and (c) hundreds of engineer's brain-power. All through 1930-1955 to develop the jet engine.
And you want it all free??

 

[FeAT]

india is always way behind with other countries. in 2040 Rafale will not be effective as it is now that might be time for 6th or may be 7th kind of generation time. its like if india has 300 MIG-21 now but its not effective.