India is going to make the biggest arms deal ever: 114 Rafale fighter jets for Rs 32 lakh crore.

Ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit in the third week of February, the Defence Ministry is likely to discuss a Rs 3.25 lakh crore proposal for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

The proposal was given preliminary approval by the Defence Acquisition Board last month. Defence sources said the proposal will be taken up for discussion at a high-level meeting of the Defence Ministry next week.

What is the sanctioned number of squadrons?

The deal is seen as crucial to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force in view of the current security scenario. At present, the Indian Air Force is operating only about 30 fighter aircraft squadrons, while its sanctioned strength is 42 squadrons.

With the growing nexus between Pakistan and Bangladesh and Pakistan and China, the perception of the threat has now increased further. The project is expected to help the Indian Air Force meet the requirement of 4.5-generation-plus multirole fighter aircraft for a long time.

80% of the 114 fighter jets will be manufactured in India

About 80 per cent of the 114 Rafale fighter jets are planned to be manufactured in India. Sources said the Indian Air Force will receive 88 single-seater and 26 twin-seater aircraft under the project, most of which will be manufactured in India in collaboration with Dassault and Indian private sector companies.