New Delhi, 22 nd February, 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has shocked the Aero India 2026 in Bengaluru today when he requested the Dassault Aviation of France not only to move the production of the Rafale jet to India, but also to transfer their advanced weaponry to India. Rafale deal incomplete without Make in India missiles, radars, bombs, he proclaimed to thunderous applause by 1, 200 international exhibitors.
This push is in the backdrop of the $20 billion Rafale-Marine deal of 26 twin-engine fighters between India and France which was signed last year on carriers INS Vikrant. Addressing the HAL pavilion, Singh attacked dependency on imports: “We have perfected jets – now desi-fy them. Bharat Dynamics has meteor missiles, but uses BrahMos JV to deliver Scalp cruise bombs. No more Paris, ask her to spare! It is an Atmanirbhar playbook page, which recalls the 2024 demand of PM Modi to have 70% indigenous content by 2030.
Dassault CEO, Eric Trappier on stage agreed with a nod: Open to India JV on weapon integration- Tech transfer possible. Details? Negotiations between HAL-Dassault and Bengaluru factories boil over Rafale fuselage churning by 2028. Weapons angle: MBDA (the arm of the missiles of Rafale) gazes at Pune facilities with Mica air-to-air and Hammer smart bombs. Singh ordered: Localize 60% value chain, lessons Ukraine war – supply snags crippled Western fleets.
Whispers among detractors Tech leaks, quality dips? Singh struck them: “Success of Tejas hath us. Rafale weapons in this case imply 5 lakh jobs, $15 billion exports. Statistics support him – defence production is touching a record 1.27 lakh crore FY25, which is 17% higher. Selling India as a golden goose France, with EU restrictions on supply of arms, looks to Rafale sales as lagging after the Egypt deal.
Resistance spoke in. Congress MP Manish Tewari: “Well meaning, but implement punishment such as LCA delays. BJP retaliated with victories: Akash SAMs are already on guard of the Rafale bases.
Aero India is swarmed with back-door deals -114 Rafale modernizations, 97 Tejas Mk1A. Singh has seen the vision of arming India not only with jets, but also with self-created fangs, as China ramps J-20s. Buyer to builder; he shouted. Dassault sign MoU provisionally at night. Make in India has now taken flight.
