According to information provided by Indian Ministry of Defense, the approved package amounts to 3.6 trillion rupees, or USD 39.7 billion.
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It includes numerous orders for all types of armed forces, however, the purchase of Rafale fighters draws special attention. Indian Ministry of Defence will not specify the exact number of ordered machines, but according to local media reports India plans to acquire 114 aircraft.
Of this number 18 fighters are to be delivered by the French manufacturer Dassault, while the remaining 96 will be produced locally in India.
The new aircraft are expected to strengthen the Indian Air Force, which currently has 29 squadrons, while according to a 2024 parliamentary report, the minimum requirement is 42 squadrons.
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Recently, in September 2025, two squadrons of obsolete MiG-21 fighters were withdrawn, and further withdrawals are planned in the coming years.
A broader modernization package
Apart from the Rafale purchase, the package also includes other key investments in the Indian military.
The Navy will receive Boeing P8I Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, and the land forces will be equipped with, among others, new anti-tank mines. It is also planned to modernize T-72 tanks and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, which date back to the times of the USSR.
In April, India also ordered 26 Rafale-Marine fighters for its navy. According to manufacturer Dassault, India will be the first country apart from France to introduce this variant of the aircraft into service.
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Rafale fighters have already been used by the Indian Air Force, including: during the conflict with Pakistan in 2025. At that time, at least one aircraft was lost in a clash with Chinese J-10C fighters that were equipped with Islamabad.
