CURRENT AFFAIRS | 25 MAY 2026
An Indian Express Page 1 report (24 May 2026) confirms India has finalised the Letter of Request (LoR) for 114 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force, to be despatched to France in the coming weeks. The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the proposal three months ago; CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) approval will follow before a final inter-governmental contract. The plan: 90 of 114 to be built in India through a Dassault Aviation + Indian-company JV, 24 fly-away from France. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh visits France next month, with PM Modi’s visit slated for June 2026.
The IAF already operates 36 Rafales (original 2016 IGA deal upheld in Yashwant Sinha v UoI, 2018); the Indian Navy is inducting 26 Rafale-M (Marine) for carrier operations off INS Vikrant. IAF’s current squadron strength of 29 against a sanctioned 42 is the sharpest gap in decades — driven by LCA Mk1A delivery delays and the AMCA timeline.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 73 + 246 + Sch VII List I Entry 2A — Deployment of Union Armed Forces
- Air Force Act 1950 — Statutory framework
- Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 — Chapter II categorisation: Buy (Global), Buy & Make (Indian)
- Make-in-India Offset Policy — ≥50% indigenous content
- Strategic Partnership Model (2017) — Long-term India-foreign-OEM tie-ups
- Articles 74 + 75 — Council of Ministers; CCS chaired by PM
- Defence Industrial Corridors — UP + TN
CLAT 2027 Angle
Yashwant Sinha v UoI (2018) — Supreme Court upheld the original 36-Rafale procurement; review petition dismissed November 2019. Tests the evolution of DPP 1992 → 2002 → 2005 → 2008 → 2011 → 2013 → 2016 → DAP 2020. CCS comprises the PM, Defence Minister, Home Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister — final clearer for big defence contracts. The 29-vs-42 squadron gap is a regular GA reasoning hook.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Order size | 114 Rafales |
| Make-in-India share | 90 of 114 in India |
| Fly-away from France | 24 |
| Existing fleet | IAF 36 + Navy 26 (Rafale-M) |
| DAC clearance | 3 months ago (Feb 2026) |
| CCS approval | Pending |
| Route | IGA or FMS |
| IAF squadrons (current/sanctioned) | 29 / 42 |
Mnemonic: “RAFALE”
- Request LoR finalised, to France soon
- Acquisition under DAP 2020
- France government-to-government IGA likely
- Assembly: 90 of 114 in India
- Limit: IAF 29 squadrons (sanctioned 42)
- Extra: Navy Rafale-M 26 (Marine variant)
Landmark Cases
- Yashwant Sinha v UoI (2018) — Rafale-36 procurement upheld
- Centre for PIL v UoI (2014) — CVC defence-procurement scrutiny
- Vineet Narain v UoI (1998) — Institutional integrity in investigation
Practice Quiz
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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