The Rafale Fighter Jet Deal, once mired in political and legal controversy, has now emerged as a key pillar of India’s defence strength under Operation SINDOOR. Initially planned in 2007 to acquire 126 jets, the deal was restructured in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to purchase 36 fully-built Rafale aircraft from France.
NEW DELHI: The Rafale Fighter Jet Deal has become a powerful part of India’s strategic defence mission under Operation SINDOOR, which focuses on national security, military readiness, and advanced technological capability.
Back in 2007, the Ministry of Defence had issued tenders to acquire 126 multi-role fighter jets as per the Defence Procurement Procedure.
Out of these, 18 aircraft were to be bought in “fly-away” condition—meaning fully built and ready to use—while the remaining 108 were to be manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with the help of “transfer of technology” from a foreign manufacturer.
After thorough testing and evaluation, the government chose the French company Dassault Aviation, which produces the Rafale jet, known for its twin-engine power, precision targeting systems, and advanced combat abilities. By 2015, the price negotiations had reached their final stages.
However, in March 2015, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France, a significant change was made. A new deal was announced under which India would directly buy 36 fully built Rafale aircraft from France, and the earlier tender for 126 jets was officially scrapped.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed this change in strategy. The move was aimed at speeding up the process of strengthening the Indian Air Force, which was experiencing a shortage of combat aircraft.
This step helped accelerate India’s air defence readiness under Operation SINDOOR. A key feature of the new deal was a 50% offset clause, meaning Dassault and other French companies like Thales and Safran were required to invest half the contract value back into India. This investment could take the form of buying Indian products or services or investing directly in Indian industry.
In October 2016, Dassault and Reliance Group, led by Anil Ambani, formed a joint venture called Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL), with Dassault committing to invest “$115 million” to fulfil a part of its offset obligations. However, in 2018, the deal came under public and legal scrutiny.
Manohar Lal Sharma v Narendra Damodardas Modi
Multiple petitions were filed in the Supreme Court by advocate M.L. Sharma, lawyer Vineet Dhanda, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, and former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha.
These petitioners raised concerns such as: “Did Prime Minister Modi make a decision to go ahead with the deal without the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security?”
They also questioned: “Was Reliance Defence made Dassault Aviation’s Indian Offset Partner without the approval of Minister of Defence, as required by the Defence Offset Guidelines? Further, was Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL), the previously proposed Offset partner, improperly removed?”
Another query was: “Is the deal in fact an inter-governmental deal between India and France? And if it is, does this allow the Central government to forego disclosing the details of the deal, in violation of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act?”
The most debated issue was: “Does the deal suffer from pricing irregularities? The price per aircraft from the first deal to the second deal, approximately doubled.”
On 14th November 2018, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict Manohar Lal Sharma v Narendra Damodardas Modi, WP (Crl.) 225/2018; RP (Crl.) 46/2019. Then, on 14th December 2018, the Court dismissed the petitions, ruling that there were no irregularities in the decision-making process, pricing, or selection of the offset partner. The judgment was based on documents submitted by the government in “sealed covers.”
However, the matter did not end there. On 21st February 2019, the Court agreed to hear a review petition filed by Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, and Prashant Bhushan. They alleged that the original verdict was based on incorrect facts presented by the government.
A key issue during the review was whether documents that had been leaked to the media could be used as evidence in court. On 14th March 2019, the Court reserved its opinion.
Then, on 10th April 2019, the Court ruled that “the classified documents could be placed on the record, dismissing the Union’s objection.”
On 10th May 2019, the Court again reserved its verdict. Finally, on 14th November 2019, it dismissed the review petitions, noting that it had limited powers to examine defence deals under Article 32 and that there was no need for a court-monitored investigation.
Despite legal and political noise, the Rafale deal has significantly strengthened India’s air defence posture. The inducted Rafale jets now play a critical role in Operation SINDOOR by boosting India’s air superiority, improving rapid deployment capabilities, and deterring hostile threats.
Armed with powerful radar systems, Meteor missiles, and night-combat technology, Rafales are not just aircraft—they are guardians of India’s skies. Through this deal, India not only acquired world-class fighter jets but also brought in vital defence investments and partnerships, making the nation stronger, safer, and more self-reliant in line with the core goals of Operation SINDOOR.
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