The Indian Air Force is facing a historic fighter jet shortage: Dassault Rafale, others considered, but not F-35
August 15, 2025
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is grappling with its worst-ever fighter squadron shortage and is weighing multiple foreign aircraft options to plug the gap, even as it rules out the US-made F-35 stealth jet.
While The Times of India has reported that New Delhi is poised to move ahead with a government-to-government deal for 114 Rafales under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme, a senior Ministry of Defence official told AGN that “more options are also on the table” and no final decision has been made.
The IAF is expected to seek Acceptance of Necessity from the Defence Acquisition Council by October 2025, with a government decision to follow.
Why India needs more fighter jets, fast
The urgency stems from a rapid decline in squadron numbers.
The IAF currently fields 31 squadrons of 16–18 jets each, well below the sanctioned strength of 42.5 squadrons required to counter simultaneous threats from Pakistan and China.
The imminent retirement of the last MiG-21s has cut the number to 29, the lowest in the service’s history.
With the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) still several years from service, the IAF is seeking two to three squadrons, around 40–60 aircraft, made up of 5th-generation fighter jets from abroad.
The US has offered the F-35 and Russia its Su-57, but India has declined the American option.
It is also exploring the possibility of rejoining the long-shelved Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft programme with Russia, alongside a “Make in India” plan to co-produce 114 advanced 4.5-generation fighters with a foreign partner.
The Dassault Rafale is a proven platform for the Indian Air Force
The Rafale has already proved itself in Indian service since the 2016 order for 36 aircraft. In April 2025, India signed a ₹630 billion deal ($7.2 billion) with France for 26 Rafale-Marine jets, the carrier-borne variant, making it the first international operator of the type.
The package includes weapons, simulators, training, long-term support, and extra gear for the IAF’s existing Rafale fleet, plus technology transfer for indigenous weapons integration under the “Make in India” initiative.
The Rafale-M will supplement and eventually replace the Navy’s MiG-29K fleet aboard INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, boosting operational reach in the Indian Ocean.
By 2030, India will operate 62 Rafales across the IAF and Navy, the only country apart from France to fly both variants.
The fighter push comes as China accelerates work on 6th-generation designs and could arm Pakistan with 5th-generation jets in the coming years.
“The IAF has made it clear that without urgent induction, numbers will dip to a level that will hurt operational preparedness,” the MoD official said. “We must bridge that gap while our indigenous projects mature.”
