India has cleared the procurement of new Rafale fighter jets in a key decision by the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The move is aimed at strengthening the Indian Air Force’s combat readiness and addressing the shortage of fighter squadrons while accelerating modernisation. The approval comes ahead of a possible visit by French President Emmanuel Macron and is expected to deepen India–France defence cooperation, including technology transfer, avionics, weapons integration, MRO and future joint projects. The clearance also includes capabilities such as High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) to enhance surveillance and network-centric warfare, while reinforcing the government’s ‘Make in India’ and Aatmanirbhar Bharat push.
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