Rafale Spin-Offs Will Matter

“What matters is the result: an agreement that paves the way for unprecedented industrial and technological cooperation between our two countries, including the ‘Make in India’ in which French companies will be fully involved.”

- R. Chandrakanth

The Rafale Aircraft is categorised under ‘complex product systems’ (CoPS) and very few nations have ‘mastered’ the science of manufacturing military aircraft. Military airplanes are complex platforms with high performance engines, advanced composite material airframes, mind-boggling avionics, sophisticated radars, advanced combat systems, and lethal weaponry. The quantum of research and development to build an aircraft is humongous and some of these companies have invested heavily and continue to invest in R&D. India is just about showing signs of that capability with the light combat aircraft, but it has a long way to go before it can really build an aircraft from scratch.

And when on September 23, 2016, India and France inked the contract for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation for $8.7 billion, it was historic for two reasons – one, the Indian Air Force would be soon increasing its squadron strength at least by two and the second reason being that it would help create an ecosystem for developing a military aircraft industrial base.