IAF chief in France, defence ministry issues LoR to Paris for 114-jet deal

NEW DELHI: IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh has reached France for a four-day visit to give a push to the Rafale deal even as the defence ministry has issued a Letter of Request (LoR) to the European country for the procurement of 114 multirole 4.5-generation fighter jets in a deal estimated to be worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore. During his visit, the IAF chief will meet with senior officers in the French military and is also expected to hold talks with executives of Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and visit the Dassault facility. He is also likely to meet with executives of missile manufacturer MBDA. “The LoR was issued last week by the acquisition wing of the defence ministry to French officials,” a source told TOI. The LOR is a formal govt-to-govt document used to initiate major defence acquisitions under international frameworks. PM Modi is expected to visit France around mid-June, and the Rafale deal is expected to come up in his talks. France is likely to reply to India’s LoR in two to three months. The final contract, likely by year-end, will be signed after final price negotiations and CCS approval. Under the proposed deal, 90-94 of the 114 jets are planned to be manufactured in India through a partnership between Dassault Aviation and an Indian firm. The remaining aircraft are expected to be delivered in fly-away condition.