India's air superiority levels up with 114 Rafales in sight, Safran commits to engine assembly line

Reuters reported that French engine-maker Safran said on Feb 13 it is ready to set up an engine assembly line in India and source parts from Indian suppliers to support local aerospace production, as India weighs a follow-on deal for 114 more Rafale jets. The comments by Safran CEO Olivier Andriès came a day after the Rajnath Singh-chaired Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for major defence proposals worth around ₹3.60 lakh crore, which reportedly includes the Rafale fighter acquisition among other big-ticket items.