Rajnath Singh-led DAC likely to clear acquisition of 114 Rafale Jets in key meeting | Details

New Delhi: India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is all set to approve 114 additional Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force in a key meeting on Thursday.

Several important steps are likely to be taken at the meeting

A number of important decisions are likely to be taken in the meeting. Among the important agenda include proposals that may strengthen the combat capabilities of the armed forces further amid increasing security concerns. The council is expected to decide on the approval of 114 additional Dassault Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force under the Medium-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme.

The proposal was cleared by the Defence Procurement Board last month. It will now be taken up by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) before the same is forwarded to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led cabinet committee on security for clearance.

Centre looking to address fall in squadron strength

With the Rafale acquisition, the government is looking to address the dip in the squadron strength of the air force. In recent times, the number of squadrons have drSopped to 29 as against the cleared strength of 42. Even with the additional jets, the gap is unlikely to reduce.

The MRFA project evolved from the 2007 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition. The Rafale emerged as the preferred choice under this, even as negotiations was stalled over cost and industrial terms. The DAC is likely to consider the procurement of High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS). These are solar-powered unmanned systems, which are capable of stratospheric surveillance.