Emmanuel Macron arrives in India as blockbuster fighter jet deal nears

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France’s President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in India as the two countries close in on a blockbuster fighter jet deal.

The $35bn purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets would be India’s largest-ever defence deal. But last-minute negotiations over details including the price could prevent the deal from being signed during Macron’s visit, officials in New Delhi said.

The French president, who arrived in Mumbai early on Tuesday, will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend a global AI summit in New Delhi.

Modi said he looked forward to advancing bilateral ties on the trip, Macron’s fourth to India. “I am confident that our discussions will further strengthen co-operation across sectors and contribute to global progress,” Modi wrote on X.

The deal would be the largest single export order for French jet maker Dassault Aviation, nearly equalling the number of Rafales in service in the French armed forces.

India’s defence ministry last week cleared the Rafale purchase. Approval was also needed by India’s cabinet, which met on Friday but did not make a statement on the deal.

An announcement could be delayed as the sides negotiate on price, according to Indian officials. Élysée officials said the talks were not fully finalised.

The deal comes at a crucial moment for both sides. Europe is trying to revitalise its arms industries as US President Donald Trump sows doubts about the strength of the transatlantic security alliance.

India, the world’s largest arms importer, is desperate to upgrade and expand its fighter jet fleet. Its air force currently operates fewer than 30 fighter squadrons, far below a long-standing target of 42. Pakistan has claimed to have successfully used Chinese-made aircraft to shoot down five Indian fighters, including at least one Rafale, during a five-day conflict last year. 

The deal is expected to involve Dassault, which already supplies India’s air force and navy, assembling a large portion of the jets and their components in India, boosting New Delhi’s ambitions to develop its own weapons manufacturing industries.

Engine maker Safran has also opened the door to manufacturing Rafale motors in India for the first time as part of the talks.

Macron will explore business opportunities in areas including nuclear power, the Élysée said.

The jets purchase has been a deal 15 years in the making, after India, under a previous government, selected the French aircraft over the pan-European Eurofighter Typhoon in 2012. But political indecision and bureaucratic sluggishness stalled its completion.

The Rafales will “form the core of India’s combat potential in the 2030s and 2040s until fifth generation fighters are available in enough numbers”, said Dinakar Peri, a security expert at Carnegie India.

He added that the deal would “consolidate France’s position as the bulwark of India’s aerospace ecosystem . . . with fighter jets, transport aircraft, helicopters and engines”.

India previously bought 36 Rafales for its air force in 2016 and 26 for its navy in 2024. It has also built its own smaller fighter jet, known as the Tejas, and is working on a heavier aircraft, but progress has been stymied by a lack of capacity in engine making. 

For Dassault, making the jets in India will be a departure from its “Made in France” model. But moving some production will help ease capacity constraints at home. It has also worked on joint production lines in India for its Falcon business jets.

The size of the deal will lend momentum to western efforts to deepen security co-operation with India and wean New Delhi off its decades-long dependence on Russia, its traditional weapons supplier. India has pledged to buy more arms from the US, and the defence ministry last week approved the purchase of six Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft. 

But New Delhi remains tied to Moscow to maintain its fleet of Sukhoi fighters, as well as tanks, an aircraft carrier and S-400 air defence systems, among other platforms.

Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at Crisis Group, said that India was looking to “leverage” its position as a large arms importer to “strengthen its multi-alignment strategy”.

But Russia is “the cornerstone of India’s strategic autonomy”, he added. “It will be challenging for New Delhi to further reduce its reliance on Russian equipment.”