3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 25, 2026 05:31 AM IST India has finalised the Letter of Request (LoR) for the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter jets for the IAF and is expected to send it to France “very soon”, within the “next few weeks”, The Indian Express has learnt. Around 90 jets from this set of 114 are to be manufactured in India through a collaboration between the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation and an Indian company, while the rest will arrive in fly-away condition. Senior officials said that soon after France responds to the LoR, India will formalise the Request for Proposal (RFP) for acquisition. An LoR is a formal government-to-government document used to initiate such procurement, under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) route, outlining the capabilities, quantities and technical requirements needed. In such procurements, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) first grants its approval, following which the LoR is issued. Once the foreign government responds, mentioning the price, availability and logistical support, negotiations take place between the two sides. The Cabinet …