The Union government’s Defence Acquisition Council on Thursday approved proposals to buy several military equipment, including additional Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

The council, which reports to the defence ministry and is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted the acceptance of necessity for proposals worth Rs 3.6 lakh crore. The proposals included the purchase of combat missiles and an airship-based high-altitude pseudo-satellite.

The majority of the Rafale aircraft being ordered will be manufactured in India, the ministry said.

Procuring more Rafales will “enhance the capability of undertaking air dominance roles” and boost the Air Force’s deterrence capabilities, “with long-range offensive strikes”, it added.

While the defence ministry did not state the number of Rafales being purchased, news reports widely said it would be 114, with 90 being manufactured in India. Some of the remaining jets are likely to be acquired in fly-away condition to meet the Air Force’s immediate operational needs.

The withdrawal of the last two MiG-21 squadrons in September had dropped the Air Force’s combat squadron strength to 29, against the 42 sanctioned in 2012. A fighting squadron typically has 16 to 18 jets.

The fresh purchase of the Rafale aircraft was cleared days ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Delhi between February 17 and February 19. The Rafales are...

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