India ditches Rafale jets for F-35 or Su-57
India is trimming its Rafale-F4 jet order from 114 to just 60 and turning its attention to buying fifth-generation stealth fighters like the US F-35 or Russian Su-57.
The Air Force wants to boost its squadron numbers from 31 to 42, especially as regional threats are on the rise.
Meanwhile, local companies like Tata are still making Rafale parts under Make in India, even though a full assembly line proposal was not accepted.
Air Force's need to boost squadron numbers
With China developing next-gen jets and Pakistan possibly getting advanced fighters too, India's Air Force needs an upgrade—fast.
Since homegrown stealth jets are still years away, the plan is to buy foreign stealth aircraft now but add Indian tech wherever possible.
This move aims to keep India's skies secure and ready for whatever comes next.