DEFENCE
Defence Acquisitions
France Submits Technical-Commercial Proposal for 114 Rafale Fighter Jets to IAF
France has formally submitted a technical and commercial offer to India for 114 Rafale fighter aircraft intended for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The deal holds an estimated total monetary value of around ₹3.25 lakh crore and responds to India's Letter of Request issued in May 2026.
Under the framework, 20 jets will be delivered directly from France in fly-away condition, while 94 jets will be manufactured locally under Make in India.
This follows IAF's prior induction of 36 fly-away Rafale jets and the Indian Navy's separate agreement for 26 Rafale-Marine fighters.
Exam Perspective: Defense acquisition breakdowns (fly-away vs local manufacture) and deal valuations are frequently featured in competitive exam papers.
The deal holds an estimated total monetary value of around ₹3.25 lakh crore and responds to India's Letter of Request issued in May 2026.
Under the framework, 20 jets will be delivered directly from France in fly-away condition, while 94 jets will be manufactured locally under Make in India.
This follows IAF's prior induction of 36 fly-away Rafale jets and the Indian Navy's separate agreement for 26 Rafale-Marine fighters.
Exam Perspective: Defense acquisition breakdowns (fly-away vs local manufacture) and deal valuations are frequently featured in competitive exam papers.
Key Facts / Static GK
Manufacturer of Rafale: Dassault Aviation (France)
IAF Initial Acquisition: 36 Rafales (fly-away)
Indian Navy Procurement: 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft
IAF Initial Acquisition: 36 Rafales (fly-away)
Indian Navy Procurement: 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft
Practice Quiz — 7 August 2026
Q1. What was the total transaction value processed by UPI in July 2026?
Answer: (D) ₹29.88 lakh crore — In July 2026, UPI set a monthly record by processing 23.66 billion transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore.
Q2. What is the mandatory Compressed Biogas (CBG) blending target for City Gas Distribution entities for FY 2026–27 under the GOBARdhan scheme?
Answer: (C) 3% — Under the CBG Blending Obligation (CBO), City Gas Distribution entities must achieve blending targets of 3% in FY 2026–27, 4% in FY 2027–28, and 5% from FY 2028–29 onwards.
Q3. Which division within NITI Aayog formulated the report titled 'Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047'?
Answer: (B) Social Justice and Empowerment Division — The report was formulated by the Social Justice and Empowerment Division of NITI Aayog through extensive stakeholder consultations and field studies.
Q4. How much Central Assistance was released to Uttar Pradesh between FY 2019-20 and FY 2025-26 under the SC/ST atrocity prevention scheme?
Answer: (C) ₹747.17 crore — A total Central Assistance of ₹747.17 crore was released to Uttar Pradesh during the 2019-20 to 2025-26 period to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and provide victim relief.
Q5. Which of the following statements regarding the Global Biofuel Champion Fellowship (GBCF) is correct?
Answer: (C) It includes two Indian researchers, Ruchi Agrawal and Abhisek Sahoo. — The inaugural GBCF cohort selected 15 researchers globally including two Indian scholars: Ruchi Agrawal (TERI) and Abhisek Sahoo (IIT Delhi). Each fellow gets a $15,000 grant for a 2-year tenure.
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