A senior defence official confirmed that the DAC meeting will grant Acceptance of Necessity for several acquisition proposals. During his stay, President Macron is also expected to meet Mr. Singh to discuss bilateral defence cooperation between India and France. Another defence official said that multiple proposals will be tabled at the meeting, including the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft from France. The procurement would take the total Rafale fleet in the country to 176 aircraft, with the Indian Air Force already operating 36 Rafale jets and the Indian Navy having placed orders for 26 naval variants last year. Separately, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P.

Source: The Hindu February 05, 2026 18:15 UTC