India advances fighter jet fleet with Rafale purchase and indigenous AMCA stealth program

India has finalised a Letter of Request to procure 114 Dassault Rafale multi‑role fighters, a deal that will see roughly 90 jets built in India under the Make in India initiative. The request, to be sent to Paris, follows a Defence Acquisition Council nod and aims for a contract signature by the end of the year, strengthening the Indian Air Force’s depleted squadron strength and standardising fleet logistics.

Separately, the Ministry of Defence has issued a Rs 15,000‑crore request for proposals to develop five prototypes of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth‑generation stealth fighter intended to reduce reliance on foreign platforms. The AMCA programme seeks fully domestic design, production and integration of advanced avionics and weapons, promising a long‑term boost to India’s aerospace industry and strategic autonomy.